Senate adopts bill formally incorporating IHRA working definition as a reference; emergency status fails

The Oklahoma Senate passed Senate Bill 991 on March 20 to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism into state statute as a non‑legally binding reference. The chamber later voted against adopting the bill as an emergency measure.

Senator Thompson, who carried the legislation on the floor, said the bill "is adopting the IHRA definition" and listed stakeholder partners who supported the measure, including the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, the Jewish Federation of Oklahoma City, the Anti‑Defamation League of Texas/Oklahoma and other national Jewish organizations. Thompson moved the bill's advancement and yielded for questions.

During floor questions, senators pressed how the definition interacts with First Amendment protections and whether the IHRA examples could be applied subjectively in ways that might implicate religious or political speech. Thompson repeatedly described the IHRA wording as "non‑legally binding" and said the measure provides a starting point for institutions and investigators; she also said the bill clarifies that criticism of Israel that is similar to criticism of any other country is not antisemitism.

On third reading the Senate approved the bill by roll call, 27‑15. Thompson then moved adoption of the bill as an emergency measure so it would take effect immediately; the subsequent roll call on emergency status failed on a separate tally recorded as 27‑15, and the Senate announced the emergency measure vote had failed. As a result, SB 991 passed the Senate but will take effect under standard statutory effective‑date rules rather than immediately via emergency designation.

Votes at a glance: Senate Bill 991 — third reading and final passage, 27‑15; emergency designation vote failed (27‑15).