Committee advances bill to create state antisemitism task force amid public concerns about scope and representation

Senator Kalatayu introduced SB 1072 to establish an antisemitism task force in the Attorney General’s civil‑rights office to review the prevalence of antisemitism in Florida, advise law‑enforcement training and digital‑literacy efforts, evaluate hate‑crime statutes and deliver an annual report with policy recommendations.

The sponsor cited recent statistics and incidents — including thousands of antisemitic incidents nationally and an uptick in Florida and coordinated bomb threats targeting Jewish institutions — as the rationale for a statewide review and recommended responses.

Public testimony included both supporters and multiple opponents. Supporters urged stronger state responses to rising incidents. Opponents including Ash Bradley, Vance Aarons and student speakers argued the bill could chill speech by capturing criticism of Israel under the working definitions of antisemitism, questioned the lack of clarity about how appointees will be qualified or balanced (noting Arabs are Semitic as well), and raised possible fiscal and fairness concerns.

Senator Kalatayu said Florida is already implementing the IHRA definition adopted by the legislature last year, that the bill does not criminalize criticism of Israel and that the task force would focus on intimidation and threats rather than protected speech. The committee voted to report SB 1072 favorably.