House passes antisemitism bill

With only three representatives voting against it, the Florida House of Representatives passed House Bill 187 that defines what antisemitic speech is, and now it moves on to the Senate.

Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Mike Gottlieb (D-Plantation), told the Orlando Sentinel the goal is to curb hate speech toward Jews and Israel. The bill includes the definition of antisemitism adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance in 2016 into Florida educational statutes.

“We live in a time where people think they can say things and that has no consequence,” Gottlieb told Orlando Sentinel reporter Desiree Stennett. “We needed to address that because words are harmful and they lead to violence. … We can’t stand silent anymore and allow people to talk that kind of hateful speech and rhetoric and not take action.”

In addition to examples of antisemitism such as calling for the deaths of Jewish people or denying that the Holocaust happened; the bill points out that dehumanizing or stereotypical statements about the Jewish people and saying Jews control the media and economy are antisemitic statements.

Sections of the bill define antisemitism as the “comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis”; “that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor” and it is antisemitic to “require of the Jewish state of Israel a standard of behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”

Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando) voted against the bill, explaining to the Sentinel her concern for the protection of Palestinians and their supporters. She also said the Holocaust Alliance’s definition was intended to be used for education purposes.

Senate bill sponsor Sen. Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) amended the bill to include “the term ‘antisemitism’ does not include criticism of Israel that is similar to criticism of any other country,” and that the definition “should not infringe on free speech rights granted by the first amendment.”

If these amendments are adopted, the Bill will return to the House for a final vote and then signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis.