Georgia Governor Signs Antisemitism Definition Bill into Law

The move comes amid a reported surge in antisemitic incidents and opposition claiming potential infringement on free speech rights.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed a bill defining antisemitism in state law, making Georgia the 11th state to officially adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism for prosecution of anti-Jewish bias and discrimination claims.
The bill was pushed with urgency this year in response to the Israel-Hamas war and a reported surge in antisemitic incidents in Georgia.
Opponents of the law, including Jewish Voice for Peace and CAIR, argue that it could be used to censor free speech rights by equating criticism of Israel with hatred of Jewish people.
Supporters of the law, including State Rep. John Carson, argue that the definition will only be applied after a crime has been committed and predict that it will withstand legal challenges.
On the eve of the bill signing, State Rep. Esther Panitch, the sole Jewish member of the Georgia state legislature and sponsor of the bill, received an antisemitic postcard, which she has turned over to law enforcement for investigation.