CAIR-PA joins coalition urging Pennsylvania lawmakers to reject Senate Bill 1489 on antisemitism definition

CAIR's Pennsylvania chapters said on October 20 they joined 55 organizations and 71 faith and community leaders urging state lawmakers to reject Senate Bill 1489.

The bill, "Adopting the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism," is sponsored by Sen. Judith Schwank (D-11). The General Assembly's website lists its last action as referral to the Senate State Government Committee on October 13.

According to CAIR-PA, SB 1489 would establish the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance framework as the governing definition wherever "antisemitism" appears without a separate definition in Pennsylvania statutes or regulations. The coalition's letter says this could influence government investigations, regulatory decisions, disciplinary proceedings and public institutions.

The coalition says codifying the IHRA working definition and its examples would threaten legitimate political debate, including criticism of Israeli policies and advocacy for Palestinian rights. It also noted that the bill includes a constitutional-rights disclaimer and an exception for criticism of Israel comparable to criticism of other countries, and argued these do not resolve the risk of subjective or unequal enforcement.

The letter calls on lawmakers to reject SB 1489 and related measures giving the IHRA definition binding legal effect, to hold public hearings that include diverse Jewish, Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and civil-liberties perspectives, and to pursue concrete protections against threats, violence, harassment and discrimination. Signers include three national rabbinic organizations: the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights and Rabbis for Ceasefire.

"Fighting antisemitism and protecting freedom of expression are not competing obligations. Pennsylvania must do both," the letter concludes.