Antisemitism bill moves through Nevada Legislature after unusual vote

CARSON CITY — A bill that defines antisemitism for discrimination investigations is in the final stages of consideration in the Nevada Legislature, but a weekend vote in which 10 lawmakers were absent suggests there were disagreements on how to define the term.

Senate Bill 179 would define the term for Nevada Equal Rights Commission investigations into discrimination in housing, employment and accommodations.

On the evening of May 23, the Assembly passed the bill 28-4, with 10 Democratic members given excused absences.

It faced some debate when moving through the Assembly. Jewish advocacy groups testified in opposition to the bill in a May 13 hearing, asking for it to be amended to include the widely recognized working definition of antisemitism created by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. That definition includes contemporary examples of antisemitic acts and has been adopted by other jurisdictions in Nevada, including the Nevada System of Higher Education and the city of Las Vegas.

SB 179 — initially proposed to bill sponsor state Sen. James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, by two Jewish Las Vegas teens — was amended to include that definition days later.

“We knew something was up because they were taking so long,” Assemblymember Danielle Gallant, R-Las Vegas, said Thursday. “Then only half the caucus shows up.”

The Assembly was in recess before the Friday night vote and returned without 10 Democratic lawmakers present, instead marking them excused absent. Legislative leaders then moved the bill up to the next item for consideration, recessed after the vote was recorded and continued their business with the full 42-member body when they returned from a break.

Representatives for Speaker Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas, did not respond to requests for comment.

Sources said there was disagreement among the Democratic caucus about the definition chosen. Others had proposed using the definition described in the “Jerusalem Declaration,” an alternative to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition that they felt made better distinctions between antisemitic speech and free speech criticizing the state of Israel.

“None of those members didn’t believe the issue should be addressed,” a source said. “It’s more about the definition.”

Jolie Brislin, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the International Holocaust Remember Alliance definition is the most widely accepted method of identifying antisemitism.

“To be clear, the IHRA definition does not limit free speech or punish criticism of Israel,” Brislin said Friday. “It simply helps identify and understand antisemitism and its many manifestations.”

The following assemblymembers were absent for the SB 179 vote:

— Venicia Considine, D-Las Vegas

— Tanya Flanagan, D-North Las Vegas

— Cecelia González, D-Las Vegas

— Selena La Rue Hatch, D-Reno

— Elaine Marzola, D-Henderson

— Brittney Miller, D-Las Vegas

— Daniele Monroe-Moreno, D-North Las Vegas

— Cinthia Zermeño Moore, D-Las Vegas

— Erica Mosca, D-Las Vegas

— Hanadi Nadeem, D-Las Vegas

Both chambers of the Legislature unanimously approved a bill establishing Jan. 27 as “International Holocaust Remembrance Day,” which was signed into law by Gov. Joe Lombardo in April.

Senate Bill 201, prohibiting apartment and homeowners’ associations from preventing religious artifacts from display, is also on its way to the governor’s desk. It is commonly called the “mezuzah bill” for its protection of displaying the item, a small case containing biblical verses, affixed to door frames in Jewish homes.

SB 201 passed the Senate on April 18, 19-1-1, and the Assembly 38-4 on May 23. Sen. Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, voted no and Sen. Dina Neal, D-North Las Vegas, was absent during the Senate vote. Assemblymembers Rich Delong, R-Reno; Bert Gurr, R-Spring Creek; Brian Hibbetts, R-Las Vegas; and Toby Yurek, R-Henderson, voted no.

Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ on X.