After a four-month standoff, Assembly Democrats are moving forward with legislation that would establish an official state definition of anti-Semitism.
The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Gary Schaer and Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, incorporates the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism. That definition includes both rhetorical and physical manifestations targeting Jews.
According to a draft obtained by the New Jersey Globe, the updated legislation requires law enforcement agencies to consider the state’s definition of anti-Semitism when reviewing and investigating potential violations of federal anti-bias laws. Authorities must also weigh the definition when determining if an incident was motivated by anti-Semitic intent.
The bill’s new language includes a formal declaration by the Legislature that anti-Semitism “remains a persistent, pervasive, and disturbing problem in contemporary American society,” citing statistics showing Jewish individuals are disproportionately targeted by hate crimes. It notes that in 2023, New Jersey ranked third in the nation for anti-Semitic incidents, and that anti-Jewish bias was the second most common hate crime category reported by the New Jersey State Police.
The legislation also references troubling trends on college campuses, noting that nearly 75% of Jewish students in the U.S. report experiencing anti-Semitism. In 2017 alone, over 200 incidents of harassment, vandalism, or assault against Jewish students were recorded—an 89% spike from the prior year.
Notably, the latest version of the bill removes a previously proposed $100,000 public awareness campaign aimed at educating the public on identifying and reporting bias crimes.
The Assembly version of the bill has gained broad support, with 58 sponsors and co-sponsors. A Senate version passed the Law and Public Safety Committee over a year ago by a 4–1 vote, with State Sen. Shirley Turner casting the lone dissent.