Missouri lawmakers gave final approval Wednesday to legislation aimed at addressing antisemitism in schools, with the House voting 100-17 to send the bill to the governor’s desk after earlier passing the Senate unanimously.
House Bill 2061, sponsored by Rep. George Hruza, R-St. Louis County, establishes new protections for public school and college students facing antisemitic harassment while explicitly preserving free speech rights. The Senate approved the measure April 8 by a 30-0 vote after adding language clarifying those protections.
With the final House vote, Missouri is set to become the 39th state to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of antisemitism as a tool for schools and universities.
The legislation requires public schools, districts and higher education institutions to incorporate the IHRA definition into their codes of conduct and treat antisemitic discrimination with the same seriousness as acts motivated by race.
“This legislation will begin to address the 300+% rise in antisemitism in Missouri since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israelis, providing substantive protection for our Jewish students,” Hruza said in a statement.
Balancing protection and free speech
Concerns about free speech surfaced early in the legislative process, with critics warning the bill could chill criticism of Israel. Lawmakers responded by adding language emphasizing that the measure targets discriminatory conduct, not protected expression.
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Under the bill, students can still express political views, including criticism of Israel. But behavior that crosses into harassment, intimidation or denial of equal access would be treated as discrimination.
The final version also expands coverage to include charter schools and reinforces that the legislation applies broadly to discrimination of all kinds while identifying antisemitism as a specific form.
Community response
Jewish community leaders framed the bill as both a practical tool and a signal of bipartisan consensus.
“We appreciate the many people and organizations that advocated for or offered other considerations on this bill,” said Danny Cohn, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis. “Diverse dialogue helped refine the legislation and reflects the kind of principled, good faith debate that our community values.”
“We are grateful for the bipartisan consensus achieved in the Missouri State Senate,” said Jordan Kadosh, regional director of ADL Heartland. “It is a true act of allyship with the Jewish community at our hour of need. We look forward to continuing to advocate for this important legislation with our partners at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the broad coalition of Jewish organizations endorsing this bill.”
Myron Freedman, executive director of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, emphasized the classroom impact.
“We applaud this legislation that serves to ensure the protection of educators and students in the learning environment,” Freedman said.
What happens next
The legislation now heads to Gov. Mike Kehoe for his signature, the final step before becoming law.
If signed, schools that fail to address antisemitic incidents could risk violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, potentially jeopardizing federal funding.
For Hruza, whose family history includes surviving the Holocaust, the bill represents both policy and personal urgency.
“With a bipartisan vote in the House and unanimous support in the Senate, our Jewish community can be assured that the Missouri General Assembly has their back,” he said.
