Lawmakers break every procedural rule to ram through anti-Palestinian censorship bill

Sacramento - Last night, with only three days left in the legislative session, lawmakers in California released a completely re-written version of AB 715, the dangerous and widely opposed bill that seeks to censor education about Palestine across California’s K-12 schools.

Additionally, with less than 24 hours’ notice, the Senate Education Committee has called for a hearing today at 5pm to fast track a vote on AB 715 – in clear breach of committee transparency and notice requirements. The Senate Education Committee, along with the Appropriations Committee that the bill still needs to pass through, have long passed their deadlines for hearing bills, and should not even be convening this late in the session.

“It is an absolute mockery of our democratic process that despite facing widespread opposition, AB 715 is being steamrolled through the legislature with no regard for transparency, public input, or the legislature’s own rules, regulations, and deadlines,” said Seth Morrison, Jewish Voice for Peace Action national board member. “Setting aside the grave concerns of educational censorship that comes with this bill, AB 715 should be rejected over its unacceptable procedural grounds alone.”

AB 715 is being fast tracked with virtually no opportunity for public input. This is despite the fact that every major education association has come out in strong opposition of the bill, including the California Teachers Association, California Faculty Association, Association of California School Administrators and Superintendents, California School Boards Association, and Council of UC Faculty Associations.

The educator associations opposing this bill are joined by over 100 teachers' organizations, parents groups, civil rights groups, religious congregations, racial justice organizations, and community advocacy organizations represented by the CA Coalition to Defend Public Education.

While its proponents claim that it is meant to address antisemitism, the current version of AB 715 rests on the widely discredited International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition, which labels virtually any criticism or opposition to Israeli policy or actions as antisemitism. This definition of antisemitism has been weaponized by rightwing actors seeking to outlaw pro-Palestinian speech, activism, education, or perspectives.

The IHRA definition was embraced by Trump in 2019, and is the primary justification used in the federal government’s current attack on universities and its crackdown of pro-Palestinian students’ and teachers' first amendment activities across the country.

“It is beyond shameful that California lawmakers are fast tracking a bill that mirrors Trump’s rightwing playbook of silencing Palestinians, all while this government is enabling Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza,” said Lara Kiswani, the Executive Director of AROC Action. “Decision makers must reject AB 715 for the dangerous, anti-Palestinian censorship bill that it is.

The CA Coalition to Defend Public Education will be mobilizing hundreds of teachers, students, and community members to oppose AB 715 at the Senate Education Hearing, which will take place Wednesday, September 10th at 5pm, at 1021 O St, Sacramento.