ATLANTA — Editor's note: The bill passed later on Thursday after being sent to the Georgia House for minor changes. It is now headed to Governor Kemp's desk for signing; see the update here.
Original Story:
Georgia's Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would define antisemitism under state law for the first time.
The bill, H.B. 30, will now head to the Georgia House.
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who in his elected capacity serves as president of the Georgia Senate, said in a statement that is "proud of the Senate for prioritizing House Bill 30 and encourage the House to take the necessary steps for this bill to be sent to Governor Kemp quickly."
The previous version of House Bill 30 stalled in 2023 in a debate over how the measure should be worded, but has renewed momentum this legislative session.
The pressure to act has grown with strong Republican support for Israel in its war with Hamas. A group of prominent evangelical Christians, including Pastor John Hagee of Christians United for Israel, Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition and Jentezen Franklin of megachurch Free Chapel, wrote to Georgia lawmakers in December urging them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition.
The bill would do that, stating: "'Definition of antisemitism' has the same meaning as provided for in the working definition of antisemitism and the contemporary examples of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) on May 26, 2016, and incorporated by reference in Presidential Executive Order Number 13899, 84 F.R. 68779 December 11, 2019."
The question of free speech has drawn scrutiny for the bill from a handful of groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Georgia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
First Amendment policy advocate for ACLU Georgia, Sarah Hunt-Blackwell, said that although it's unsettling, hate speech is protected under the First Amendment.
"The government may not silence speech it doesn't agree with, no matter how despicable that speech might be," Hunt-Blackwell said. "The government may not criminalize political expression, no matter how polarizing a position might be."
Lt. Gov. Jones, on Thursday, said that, "“Today and every day, I stand with Georgia’s Jewish Community."
"I condemn the wave of anti-Semitic acts and speech we have seen in our country and throughout Georgia communities," Jones added. "These horrific acts are unacceptable and this hatred and hostile way of thinking will not be tolerated."
It's not yet clear when or how the House may take up the bill.