Preventing Antisemitic Harassment on Campus Act of 2025

This bill aims to prevent antisemitic harassment on college campuses and adds protections for religion under federal civil rights law. It adds religion to the list of protected grounds for any program that gets federal funds, but this new rule does not apply to programs run by or affiliated with religious organizations, including student religious groups. It also says a college can be held responsible if it is deliberately indifferent to harassment that is so severe, widespread, and clearly offensive that it effectively denies a student equal access to education. The bill states that the government will enforce the law against antisemitic discrimination as strongly as other forms and defines antisemitism as hatred toward Jews, including actions against individuals, property, or Jewish institutions.

Colleges could face fines for repeated violations. A second confirmed violation in the same program within five years brings a fine of at least 10% of that program’s federal funds; a third brings at least 33%. The Education Department must also monitor private lawsuits on this issue, schools found in violation must notify all students, faculty, and staff, and the Department must report to Congress when it imposes fines. Agencies and courts can consider how well an institution prevents and fixes discrimination and may appoint a monitor to oversee remedies. The bill also says it does not expand the Education Secretary’s powers or limit First Amendment rights.

• Who is affected: Students and staff at colleges and universities; any programs that receive federal funds.
• What changes: Religion is added as a protected ground with an exemption for religious organizations; colleges can be liable for severe harassment they ignore; repeated antisemitic discrimination can bring 10% and then 33% fines; officials will monitor lawsuits and require campus-wide notices; courts may appoint monitors; free speech protections remain in place .
• Special note: Closely timed incidents by non-school actors (within 24 hours) may be treated as a single violation for penalty purposes.