House File 2504 -H-8082 IntroducedAmend HOUSEHouse FILEFile 2504 BYas COMMITTEEfollows: ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO HF 2303) A BILL FOR An Act requiring consideration of antisemitism by governmental entities when investigating possible discriminatory acts.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

TLSB 5647HV (2) 88 je/jh H.F.

2504 Section 1.

NEW SECTION.

216F.1 Legislative findings.

The general assembly finds and declares the following:

Antisemitism,By andstriking harassmenteverything onafter the basisenacting ofclause actual or perceived national origin, shared ancestry, or ethnic characteristics with a religious group, remains a persistent, pervasive, and disturbinginserting: problem in contemporary American society.

2.<Section 1.

DataINTERIM showsSTUDY thatCOMMITTEE JewsON areHATE amongCRIMES theAND mostHATE likelySPEECH ofIN allIOWA. minority groups to be victimized by incidents of hate, and such incidents are increasing at an alarming rate.

3.

Campus antisemitism is systemic, broad, and deep, with recent studies showing that the number of Jewish students experiencing antisemitism on campuses across the United States had spiked sharply.

4.

State officials and institutions, including educational institutions, have a responsibility to protect citizens from acts of hate and bigotry motivated by discriminatory animus, including antisemitism, and must be given the tools to do so.

5.

Valid monitoring, informed analysis and investigation, and effective policymaking all require uniform definitions.

6.

While there is no one exclusive definition of antisemitism, given the many forms antisemitism may take, for the purposes of this chapter, the specifically conduct-based definition of antisemitism adopted by the international holocaust remembrance alliance, which consists of over thirty nations, and subsequently used by the United States department of state and the governments of numerous other nations, has been an essential definitional tool used to determine contemporary manifestations of antisemitism, and includes useful examples of discriminatory anti-Israel acts that cross the line into antisemitism.

7.

Awareness of this conduct-based definition of antisemitism, although it should not be taken as an exclusive definition, will increase understanding of the parameters of contemporary anti-Jewish crime and discrimination in certain LSB 5647HV (2) 88 -1- je/jh 1/3 H.F.

2504 circumscribed areas.

Sec.

2.

NEW SECTION.

216F.2 Definitions.

ForThe purposeslegislative council is requested to establish a study committee for the 2020 interim to examine occurrences of hate crimes and hate speech in this chapter,state, “antisemitism”including meansbut thenot definitionlimited adoptedto acts of racism, bigotry, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other actions based on Mayanimus 26,toward 2016,a byperson’s therace, internationalreligion holocaustor remembrancecreed, alliance:national origin or ancestry, sex, or disability.

A certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.

Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

“Antisemitism”The includesstudy committee shall seek to identify the contemporarycauses examplesof hate crimes and hate speech in this state, any trends in the rate of antisemitismoccurrence accompanyingof such definition.acts, and solutions for reducing such occurrences.

“Antisemitism”The doesstudy notcommittee includeshall criticismseek ofinput Israelfrom similaraffected tostakeholders. that leveled against any other country.

Sec.

NEWThe SECTION.study committee shall consist of five members of the senate, three of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of the senate and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate, and five members of the house of representatives, three of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and two of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.

216F.3 Determination of discriminatory acts —— consideration of antisemitism.

In reviewing, investigating, or deciding whether there has been a violation of any law, rule, or policy prohibiting discriminatory acts, a governmental entity shall take into consideration the definition of antisemitism set forth in this chapter for purposes of determining whether an alleged act was motivated by discriminatory antisemitic intent.

Sec.

NEWThe SECTION.interim committee shall submit its findings and recommendations in a report to the general assembly by January 11, 2021.> 2.

216F.4Title Rulespage, by striking lines 1 and 2 and inserting <An Act requesting an interim study committee on hate crimes and hate speech in Iowa.> ______________________________ ABDUL-SAMAD of construction.Polk HF2504.3547 (3) 88 -1- je/jh 1/1

This chapter shall not be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right protected under the Constitution of the State of Iowa or the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

This chapter shall not be construed to conflict with local, state, or federal discrimination laws.

EXPLANATION The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.