As your constituent, I urge you to vote NO on SB87, which would codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into Ohio law.

I share your commitment to fighting antisemitism and ensuring the safety of Jewish communities across our state. But SB87 would do more harm than good. SB87 risks amplifying the dangerous trend of using false claims of antisemitism as a tool to silence dissent and to punish legitimate criticism of Israeli government policy. Even Kenneth Stern, the definition’s lead drafter, has spoken out against using it in law for exactly this reason.

The federal government has abused the IHRA definition to detain and deport peaceful protesters under the guise of combating antisemitism. We cannot allow Ohio to reinforce these attacks on our democracy.

Enshrining this politicized definition into law would threaten those very foundations. No other form of bigotry is defined by statute, and for good reason: the courts and existing laws already address discrimination on a case-by-case basis.

Please reject SB87 and instead support comprehensive, democratic approaches to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate that protect both safety and free speech for everyone in Ohio.