SACRAMENTO, California –Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, Oct. 7, signed Assembly Bill 715 into law, groundbreaking legislation to counter antisemitism in California’s K-12 public schools.
Authored by Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis, sponsored by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), backed by 72 Jewish organizations statewide, and principally co-authored by the Chairs of the Jewish, Black, Latino, and AAPI Legislative Caucuses, AB 715 received broad bipartisan support in the Legislature, passing the Assembly 71-0 and the Senate 35-0.
The legislation makes California the first state in the nation to establish a statewide Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator, creates an Office of Civil Rights to house the coordinator, and adopts comprehensive safeguards for Jewish students facing antisemitism in the classroom.
“Today is an historic day for California’s Jewish community and for every child who has ever felt unsafe, unseen, or unwelcome at school,” said JPAC Executive Director David Bocarsly. “By signing AB 715, Governor Newsom has sent a clear and powerful message: antisemitism, like all forms of hate, has no place in our public schools, period. This law is more than policy – it is a promise that Jewish children, their families, and all students, deserve a great public education and classrooms free from hate and discrimination. We are profoundly grateful to the Governor, to our legislative champions, and to the diverse coalition of partners from every corner of California who made this victory possible.”
AB 715 strengthens protections against antisemitism and all forms of discrimination in K-12 education by:
–Ensuring that schools are free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination;
–Giving schools the tools to identify, respond to, prevent, and counter antisemitism;
–Creating an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator to train educators and school leaders about antisemitism, track incidents, advise on accountability measures, and recommend future legislation; and
–Requiring an annual notification to all schools on the protections, requirements, and responsibilities in this bill.
Governor Newsom also signed Senate Bill 48, companion legislation supported by JPAC and authored by Senators Lena Gonzalez and Akilah Weber Pierson, and Assemblymembers Mike Fong and Chris Ward. SB 48 creates additional positions within the new Office of Civil Rights: a Religious Discrimination Prevention Coordinator, a Race and Ethnicity Discrimination Prevention Coordinator, a Gender Discrimination Prevention Coordinator, and an LGBTQ Discrimination Prevention Coordinator.
AB 715’s passage and signing come amid rising antisemitism across California and the nation. Reports of hate incidents targeting Jewish students in schools have grown in recent years, leaving many children vulnerable and unsupported. According to the California Department of Justice, Anti-Jewish hate crimes in California tripled in the last decade – making Jews the second most targeted group despite comprising only 3% of the population. Many schools lack sufficient training, tools, and accountability to respond.
Lev Ruderman, a Jewish student at San Lorenzo Valley High School in Santa Cruz County, provided critical testimony to the Senate Education Committee in support of the bill on September 10. Ruderman shared a heart-wrenching story of antisemitic hate he faced as a high school freshman last year, in which another student taped a Nazi flag to Ruderman’s back without his knowledge, and others stayed silent, took pictures, and laughed as he unwittingly walked around the school. The school failed to take any meaningful action.
Ella Miller, a Jewish student from Santa Clara County, testified in front of the Assembly Education Committee on September 12, and shared a similarly devastating experience of being targeted, isolated, and harassed by her peers after Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack. Miller shared that classmates whom she previously considered friends began calling her “the Jew” and saying that her family were “murderers” and that “all Jews are terrorists.” Miller’s parents were eventually forced to remove her from the public school system altogether when the school failed to take action and protect her.
JPAC’s Executive Director Bocarsly also testified on behalf of the support coalition at the Assembly Education Committee hearing on May 14 and the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on September 11. The 72 Jewish organizations to support AB 715 is the largest coalition of Jewish organizations to ever support a California bill.
With Governor Newsom’s signature, AB 715 will take effect on January 1, 2026.
“I’m deeply grateful to Governor Newsom for signing AB 715 into law,” said Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-West Hollywood), joint author of AB 715. “This bill sends a clear message that antisemitism has no place in our schools or our communities. 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. Thank you to my joint lead author, Asm. Dawn Addis, Jewish Caucus Co-chairs, Asm. Jesse Gabriel and Sen. Scott Wiener, members of the Jewish Caucus, the leaders and members of the Diversity Caucuses, Senate and Assembly Education Committees, and all the people who showed up and spoke out.”
“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), joint author of AB 715. “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. When we hear what these kids and families have faced, it becomes impossible not to act. California has always set the standard for inclusive education and this legislation reinforces our commitment. In protecting Jewish students we take a step forward in protecting all students from hate and discrimination.”
“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. “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. We are also immensely grateful to Governor Newsom, Pro Tem McGuire, Speaker 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.”
Governor Newsom’s Press Release can be found here.
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Preceding provided by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California