California

On Sunday, February 25, 2018, Democrats voted to oppose federal anti-BDS laws at their annual conference.

On Saturday, September 24, 2016, Governor Brown signed AB 2844 into law. Click here for an FAQ on AB 2844.

Since it was first introduced, AB 2844 was re-written several times. In its final version, it will require certain state contractors to certify, under penalty of perjury, that they are in compliance with pre-existing California anti-discrimination laws and that any policy they have against a nation or peoples is not used to discriminate in violation of those anti-discrimination laws.

Below are links to articles and resources on AB 2844, including a number of memos, action alerts, and advocacy material prepared by the Coalition to Stop AB 2844 and/or individual organizations:

Resolutions:

The California Senate has passed two resolutions promote re-definitions of antisemitism that encompass criticism of Israeli policy.

Read the bills: SCR 35 and SR 58.

Past bills:

The following bills were introduced in California, but failed to pass:

AB 1551 would have prohibited California's public pension funds from investing in companies that boycott Israel.

AB 1552 would have prohibited the state of California from doing business with contractors that are engaged in boycotts based on race, color, religion, gender, or nationality. AB 1552 is an anti-discrimination measure that does not mention BDS or Israel. Though it has been characterized as an anti-BDS bill, it is our position that it does not affect BDS, since BDS is not motivated by "nationality" or "religion" but by the policies of the state of Israel. Legal analysis & one-pager by Palestine Legal, National Lawyers Guild, Center for Constitutional Rights on AB 1551 & AB 1552 Read the bills: AB 1551 (Pension Fund Divestment) & AB 1552 (Government Contracts)



Local Measures:

The Los Angeles City Council has introduced several resolutions condemning boycotts for Palestinian rights and threatening the free speech rights of students who speak out for Palestine.