ICAN Statement of Support for AB 715 (Zbur & Addis) California’s New Antisemitism Bill

The Israeli-American Civic Action Network (ICAN) welcomes and supports the California Assembly’s pivot from the debate around AB 1468 and the Ethnic Studies expansion to a focused, solutions‑oriented conversation on combating antisemitism in K‑12 public schools with AB 715.

On May 14, 2025, the Assembly Education Committee unanimously advanced AB 715 on a 9‑0 vote, sending the bill to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for fiscal review.

We applaud Chair Al Muratsuchi for granting the hearing and thank the hundreds of stakeholders, both supporters and opponents, who provided testimony. Legislative hearings like this are exactly how California should tackle hate: in the open, with students, parents, and experts at the table.

During the historic hearing, Assemblymembers Zbur and Addis, alongside student witnesses, presented compelling, fact‑based testimony that underscored the urgent need to address antisemitism in our schools. By contrast, a group of activist educators resorted to inflammatory rhetoric and dismissive language, thereby demonstrating precisely why AB 715’s safeguards are essential.

ICAN strongly supports AB 715’s core framework—strengthening Uniform Complaint Procedures, adding a dedicated, full‑time State Antisemitism Coordinator, and expanding the Education Code’s protections against religious and nationality‑based discrimination.

At the same time, there is more work ahead. To ensure the bill fully protects Jewish and Israeli‑American students, we urge the Legislature to align the State with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, clarify national‑origin protections so that Israeli students subjected to anti‑Zionist slurs or exclusionary conduct are unequivocally covered, and address the enforcement gap around classroom materials. Although Education Code § 60010(l) defines “supplementary instructional materials,” those resources currently bypass the adoption, public‑review, and standards‑alignment processes that core textbooks must meet. AB 715 should therefore extend its anti‑bias and transparency safeguards to any instructional content—basic, supplementary, teacher‑created, or digital—presented or distributed in schools. In addition, we urge the Legislature to establish explicit timelines and reporting requirements that guarantee swift, transparent enforcement.

We are profoundly grateful to Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis for their leadership in authoring this measure. Chair Al Muratsuchi and the entire Assembly Education Committee have shown decisive leadership in advancing AB 715 to address K‑12 antisemitism in California. We also thank the chairs of the Legislative Jewish, Black, Latino, and Asian & Pacific Islander Caucuses for coauthoring and championing AB 715, and every committee member who cast a unanimous vote to move the bill forward. 

ICAN looks forward to supporting the authors, committee staff, and allied organizations in refining AB 715 and securing its passage this session. We urge all lawmakers to vote YES on AB 715 and stand with California’s Jewish and Israeli‑American students. Together, we can make California’s classrooms safe and welcoming for every student.