Appropriations advances AB 715 to create Office of Civil Rights with antisemitism coordinator amid fiscal and legal concerns

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Oct. 25 voted to send AB 715 to the Senate floor, approving a bill that would establish a state Office of Civil Rights with an antisemitism coordinator and additional hate-prevention coordinators to work with K–12 districts on preventing discrimination.

AB 715, authored in the Assembly, would create an office charged with assessing discrimination in schools, recommending actions to the Legislature and the governor, and providing training and guidance for educators. The committee approved a motion to move the bill to the floor by a reported tally of 4 yes to 1 no; the roll was left open for absent members.

Supporters said the measure responds to a documented increase in antisemitic incidents and would provide targeted prevention and accountability tools. "The modest cost of guidance and compliance pales in comparison to the far greater cost of inaction," said David Bocarsley, executive director of the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), a sponsor of AB 715, adding that the bill "sets clear standards, offers education for school personnel…