On Saturday afternoon, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an historic anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) bill,Assembly Bill 2844, into law, effectively barring companies that engage in discrimination against any sovereign state — including the Jewish state of Israel — from doing business with the Golden State.
California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2844, the anti-BDSbill, into law. As an advocate of this important piece of legislation, you should be proud. Special thanks to you for your commitment and dedication to this cause.
This effort would not be possible without the leadership of Assemblymember Richard Bloom, the California Legislative Jewish Caucus, and Assemblymember Travis Allen.
And, thank you Governor Brown!
Here are some key points about the BDS movement, the California-Israel relationship, and this important legislation:
- The aim of BDS is to delegitimize, demonize, and ultimately destroy the State of Israel
- BDS is alive in California and throughout the United States, especially on our college campuses taking aim at Jewish students and other Israel supporters, creating a hostile campus climate
- This has become so intensified on campuses that the UC regents took a stand to specifically condemn anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic forms of anti-Zionism
- In July 2015 the Legislature affirmed support of the California-Israel MOU by stating that collaboration with Israel will foster peace and democracy in the Middle East
- The MOU reflects the policy of California to maintain a partnership with the State of Israel.
- BDS directly aims to damage this partnership by advocating that U.S. companies boycott Israel
When enacted, this legislation will prohibit public entities from contracting with companies engaged in discriminatory business practices in furtherance of a boycott against Israel. We firmly believe that public entities in California should not be forced to subsidize discrimination advocated by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israeli-Americans, Jewish Americans, or others who choose to freely associate with Israel.
