As incidents of anti-Semitic hate crimes are rising and Israel and Hamas have committed to a cease-fire, Texas commits to looking inward.
Texas will have a new commission to study anti-Semitism in the state after Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3257 into law on June 16.
The task force will study anti-Semitism in the state and produce biennial reports on the topic — due on Nov. 1 of each even-numbered year — work with schools and institutions of higher education to combat anti-Semitism, and create courses of study on the Holocaust and genocide.
“Proud to sign HB 3257 into law, creating the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and anti-Semitism Advisory Commission. #txlege,” wrote Abbott in a June 16 Tweet. At the signing, Abbott was joined by representatives Phil King, Craig Goldman, Tan Parker, and Doc Anderson, Consulate General of Israel Gilad Katz, and members of the Israel National Defense College, the Jewish Federation, and the American Jewish Committee, according to a release by the office of the governor.
“Anti-Semitism has no place in Texas, and we have a duty to combat it whenever and however it arises,” said Abbott in a statement commemorating the signing. “That is why I am proud to sign House Bill 3257 into law, which will create the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Committee and bolster our efforts to eradicate antisemitism in the Lone Star State. Thank you to the Texas Legislature for your bipartisan effort on this important bill."
Members of the commission will serve terms of six years, and not more than two consecutive terms, according to the text of the bill. The bill will take effect Sept. 1.
During the 11-day Israel-Hamas conflict in May, at least 58,000 Palestinians left their homes, 13 Israelis died, and at least 230 Palestinians died, according to a USA Today report on May 22.