CAIR Leader’s Graphic ‘Skin Bank’ Rant Rocks Ohio Senate During Antisemitism Hearing

ebruary 18th saw the continuation of the second legislative attempt to codify the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law. The hearing for Senate Bill 87 drew a wave of dissent, consisting of 67 testimonies from a broad coalition including the ACLU of Ohio, Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Ohio, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), and the Ohio Poor People’s Campaign.

The dissenters opposed the formal codification of the IHRA definition, which is currently in practice via Executive Order 2022-06D, issued by Governor Mike DeWine. While DeWine’s order required state agencies and public universities to adopt the definition following a surge of antisemitic incidents, the order is set to expire at the conclusion of his term. Proponents of SB 87 argue that without codification, the protection of Jewish Ohioans remains at the mercy of future governors’ discretion. If enacted, Ohio would join at least 37 other states that have already codified the definition.