The state of Arizona has passed legislation to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism.
HB 2675, which passed on Tuesday by a vote of 49-4, ensures that the IHRA definition will be considered by state authorities when they investigate incidents of crime or discrimination.
It followed a December pronouncement by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who issued a strong statement recently against anti-Semitism on college campuses in a letter to all 111 university presidents in the state calling for them to take a serious look at how Jews are treated at their campuses.
“Historically, anti-Semitism has been so deadly due to its evolving nature, making it difficult to identify and address. Arizona’s legislation is a first step in the right direction given that the IHRA definition addresses contemporary anti-Semitism and provides examples of such behavior,” said StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein in a released statement after Arizona passed HB 2675.