Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb vetoed HB 1002 on Monday, a bill that had been amended to exclude examples from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
Expressing his concern, Governor Holcomb argued that the exclusion of these examples weakened the bill’s effectiveness in addressing antisemitism.
“While I applaud the General Assembly’s effort to address and define antisemitism, I cannot agree with the outcome; therefore, I vetoed HB 1002,” Holcomb wrote on X.
“The language that emerged in the final days of the legislative session fails to incorporate the entire International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and its important contemporary examples. Additionally, the confusing language included in the bill could be read to exclude those examples; therefore, I must veto HB 1002.”
As a sign of commitment, the governor signed an executive proclamation underscoring “Indiana’s unwavering support for the entire IHRA definition with its inextricable examples.”
IHRA’s working definition adopted in 2016 includes contemporary examples of antisemitism, such as denying Jews their right to self-determination by claiming the State of Israel’s existence is a racist endeavor, comparing contemporary Israeli policies to those of the Nazis, and holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the State of Israel.
This definition of antisemitism has been adopted by over 1,200 entities globally, including 35 US states and 91 cities and the US State Department, and is part of President Biden’s National Strategy to Combat Antisemitism. Most recently, South Dakota adopted them into its state laws in February.
