The Texas House passed a bill on Tuesday that would require public schools and colleges to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. 

Lawmakers approved the bill by a 134-2 vote, putting it one step closer to getting signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) after the legislation passed the state senate earlier this month. The Lone Star state’s measure comes as the Trump administration has made a controversial nationwide push to crack down on antisemitism in educational institutions after anti-Israel protests have rocked campuses since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.

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“Antisemitism, as you may know, often falls through the cracks, either because it’s misunderstood or disguised as it might be today as political rhetoric,” Republican state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, the bill’s sponsor, said. “Senate Bill 326 makes it clear that it is treated with the same seriousness, which ensures that Jewish students have the same protections as everyone else.”

SB 326 would add the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism to bullying statutes, requiring schools to abide by the definition in student disciplinary proceedings when examining whether antisemitism was involved in incidents.

The IHRA’s definition of antisemitism reads: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Listed examples of behavior or language that violate the IHRA’s definition include “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor,” and holding Jews “collectively responsible for actions of the state of Israel.” 

The bill has stoked controversy over whether it could infringe on free speech rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

The only Jewish member in the Texas House, Democratic state Rep. Jon Rosenthal, initially refused to back the bill but moved to a yes vote after lawmakers added an amendment stating the bill’s intent was not to punish free speech on campuses.

“Critics warn that the IHRA dangerously conflates the generic criticism of the Israeli government and its policies with actual antisemitism,” Rosenthal said, according to the Gazette Xtra. 

He highlighted arguments that this type of legislation “singles out the Jewish community and could actually bolster and reinforce antisemitic tropes and stereotypes of Jews as privileged and influential.” 

“I would suggest that if we really wanted to address religious discrimination, religious persecution, in bullying, that we would be crafting a law to go after any form of religious persecution,” Rosenthal said per the Texas Tribune.

The bill’s advocates say it seeks to address a rise in antisemitism in public education. In the wake of the Anti-Defamation League’s Center for Antisemitism Research report last October that anti-Jewish incidents have increased by 135% in K-12 schools over the year, the Trump administration has similarly engaged in targeted efforts to push leading institutions such as Harvard to change their approach to combating antisemitism.

Antisemitic conduct associated with the rise of anti-Israel activity on campus has prompted over 100 Title VI civil rights investigations. Schools receiving federal funding are required to provide equal educational opportunities regardless of race or religion, but the government has argued and determined that some institutions haven’t done enough to protect Jewish students from a hostile learning environment in violation of Title VI. As a result, some schools have had funding pulled.

Democratic state Rep. John Bryant, who voted “present” Tuesday, voiced concern that the bill singled out one ethnicity and religion for protection. 

“Why not amend your bill to say that it applies to physical acts directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals of any faith?” he said. “That would cover everybody.”

State Rep. Christian Manuel, one of the two Democrats who voted against the bill, said he believed the bill was “too broad,” arguing that it restricted speech and was “too un-American.”

Capriglione pushed back against such claims this week. 

CHARLIE KIRK SPLITS WITH TRUMP ON ANTISEMITISM CRACKDOWN, WARNS FREE SPEECH RIGHTS UNDER ATTACK

“Students are not going to be punished for voicing their views on Middle East policy or debating the history of Zionism. That is well within their rights,” he said. 

The House must cast a final procedural vote to approve the bill, although the measure is largely a formality. Then, it will head back to the Senate as members in both chambers hash out minor differences in the plans.