Sponsors (17)
Conditions federal education funding on treating antisemitic harassment and discrimination as Title VI civil‑rights violations and directs agencies to use EO 13899's antisemitism definition when evaluating motive.
Official title: To require each local educational agency and institution of higher education that receives Federal financial assistance to treat discrimination motivated by antisemitism as vigorously as such agency or institution treats other forms of discrimination prohibited by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 23, 2026 by Randy Fine · Last progress April 23, 2026
The bill strengthens federal recognition, definitions, and enforcement pathways to protect Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination, but it also raises compliance costs, legal uncertainty, and free‑speech/academic‑freedom tensions for schools and campus communities.
Jewish students and school staff (K-12 and higher education) will have antisemitic discrimination investigated and remedied on the same footing as other civil‑rights claims, expanding access to federal enforcement pathways (complaints, investigations, and potential withholding of assistance).
Schools and colleges will receive a specific, example-based definition of antisemitism (EO 13899) and clearer federal guidance, prompting more standardized investigations, training, and policy reviews to better prevent and address antisemitic harassment on campuses.
Federal attention may increase — FBI data and surveys highlighted by the bill could prompt more resources and investigations into religiously motivated hate crimes affecting Jewish students and communities.
Colleges, universities, and local education agencies may face increased compliance, investigation, legal and administrative costs (and potential oversight or conditions on federal assistance) to meet Title VI standards for antisemitism claims.
Students, faculty, and outside speakers could face greater scrutiny for conduct or speech that institutions interpret as antisemitic, raising concerns about constraints on academic freedom and campus expression.
Relying on an Executive Order definition with illustrative examples may generate disputes and litigation over whether particular actions meet that definition, creating legal uncertainty and uneven application for institutions.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Conditions federal education funds on treating antisemitically motivated harassment and discrimination with the same rigor as other forms of prohibited discrimination under Title VI. It directs schools, colleges, and federal agencies to consider the definition and examples of antisemitism from Executive Order 13899 when assessing motive and enforcing civil‑rights protections, while stating it does not limit First Amendment rights or preempt stronger state anti‑discrimination laws.