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 and creates accountability so antisemitism is treated like any other form of hate, seriously and consistently." Assemblymember Ziburr, the bill's lead author, said the measure "creates an office of civil rights, which will include multiple coordinators who will serve and benefit not only the Jewish community, but also the communities we must protect under our anti-discrimination laws." Joint author Assemblymember Addis, a former teacher, described the antisemitism coordinator as a resource to "help teachers better understand antisemitism and create the kinds of environments that students can learn best in."

Opponents and some education groups argued the bill, as drafted, uses vague terms and could increase legal exposure and compliance costs for local educational agencies (LEAs). Carlos Machado of the California School Boards Association said AB 715 "introduces a series of complex mandates without providing necessary state support to implement them," and warned the bill's removal provisions and undefined standards would drive up litigation, monitoring and curriculum costs. Seth Bramble of the California Teachers Association repeated concerns that imprecise terms such as "advocacy" and "personal opinion" could chill instruction or invite politically driven legal challenges.

Members of the committee also pressed authors and witnesses on how the bill would be applied. The authors said the provision that prompted the most questions came from a UCLA contract with LAUSD and that they would continue to work with education stakeholders on cleanup language. Assemblymember Addis and others clarified the bill's reporting timetable: some reporting requirements in the bill do not begin until 2027. Authors said the bill targets materials teachers introduce in class (news articles, single-page lesson materials), not wholesale removal of adopted textbooks, and that removal would typically address specific problematic portions rather than entire textbook adoptions.

The Department of Finance offered no formal position but highlighted language in the budget bills (the committee analysis noted control language in AB 105 and SB 105) that would permit the director of finance to augment appropriations to implement AB 715 and SB 48 if necessary. Several senators expressed concern that the budget control language could lead to open-ended state obligations. Senator Cabaldon, who chairs the relevant budget subcommittee, said he supported the policy in principle but was "deeply concerned" about an "unlimited appropriation with no limit," and said he would seek clearer fiscal commitments and safeguards as the bill moves forward.

Support for the bill included witnesses from many statewide Jewish and civil-rights organizations. Opponents included major education groups and unions that urged either amendments or a no vote because of uncertainty around litigation exposure and local fiscal impacts.

The committee recorded a due-pass motion to the Senate floor with a 4-1 tally and left the roll open for absent members; committee members said they expected continued stakeholder work and statutory cleanup ahead of further action.

AB 715 will return to the floor with a favorable recommendation from Appropriations; authors and multiple committee members signaled additional amendments and legislative cleanup would follow.