Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed two landmark bills to strengthen California’s fight against hate, antisemitism, and discrimination in schools.

The bills create new accountability systems, require stronger responses to antisemitism, harassment, and discrimination, and support every student in learning in a school free from fear or prejudice.

“Today, California is sending a strong and unambiguous message — hate has no place in our schools and will not be tolerated,” said Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), co-chairs of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, in a joint statement.

“We have been inspired by the leadership of our colleagues — and the incredible advocacy of Jewish students, parents, teachers, and leaders from across California — who fought tirelessly to protect Jewish children,” the Assembly members said. “We are also immensely grateful to Gov. Newsom, Pro Tem Mike McGuire, Speaker Robert Rivas and to so many of our non-Jewish colleagues of both political parties who have stood as staunch allies in the fight against hate. Together, we will continue to fight to ensure that students of all faiths and backgrounds are safe, welcome, and can thrive in our schools.”

“This bill sends a clear message that antisemitism has no place in our schools or our communities,” said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood). “Every student deserves to be safe, valued, and respected — no matter who they are or what they believe. At a time when hate is rising and antisemitism is sweeping our communities, AB 715 reaffirms California’s commitment to inclusion and standing up against bigotry in all its forms.”

“I’m a mom and a teacher and I couldn’t be more grateful to Governor Newsom for signing AB 715,” said Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay). “This is a historic first in the nation effort, that centers on the wellbeing of children across our state, many of whom bravely shared horrific stories about their experiences in our schools.”

“As both a proud member of the Jewish Caucus and Chair of the LGBTQ Caucus, I know that when hate goes unaddressed in our schools, it endangers every community,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). “As antisemitic incidents surge in California, today California leaders have taken decisive action towards stamping out antisemitism and all forms of hate before they spread further.”

AB 715 establishes a new Office of Civil Rights and establishes an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator to develop training, resources, and enforcement strategies for K–12 schools. It also requires districts to investigate and take corrective action when discriminatory content is used in classrooms or professional development.

SB 48 complements that effort by creating four statewide Discrimination Prevention Coordinators — focused on religious, racial, ethnic, gender, and LGBTQ discrimination — to provide resources and training to prevent and consistently address bias and discrimination in schools.

The new laws build on California’s nation-leading efforts to protect students and promote tolerance through education, training, and accountability.

A new report from the Anti-Defamation League shows California, with over 1 million Jewish residents, is the top state fighting antisemitism, the governor’s office reported.

The state launched the Golden State Plan to Counter Antisemitism — a first-of-its-kind, statewide framework to combat antisemitism through education, prevention, security, and community partnership.

In 2022, Newsom signed legislation that established the Commission on the State of Hate and improved the tracking of hate crimes. In recent years, the state has established the California vs. Hate reporting hotline and funded security grants to protect nonprofits and houses of worship from violence. In 2021, Governor Newsom established the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education to assess and improve education about the Holocaust and other genocides in California schools. The Newsom administration has also partnered with Jewish, Muslim, and civil rights leaders to strengthen community safety, expand hate-crime prevention training for educators and law enforcement, and ensure California remains a national model in confronting hate with action and education.