The Missouri House of Representatives advanced on Monday legislation aimed at combating antisemitism in Missouri’s public schools and colleges.
HB 2061 seeks to incorporate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism into state education policy, directing K-12 public schools and public institutions of higher education to use the definition as a framework when evaluating and responding to alleged incidents of anti-Jewish discrimination.
The bipartisan bill, introduced by George Hruza, a Republican state representative, would provide educators and administrators with clearer guidance in identifying antisemitic conduct, particularly amid heightened concerns about Jewish students’ safety and campus climate following the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and unrest on U.S. campuses.
The legislation applies to both K-12 public schools and state-funded colleges and universities. If enacted, Missouri would join a growing number of states that have formally incorporated the IHRA definition into law or policy.
The proposal now heads to the Missouri Senate, where lawmakers are expected to continue deliberations in the coming weeks. If approved by the Senate and signed by the governor, the measure would take effect later this year.
