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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
anti-semitism; crime reporting; aggravating factor.
Purpose
Requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to collect information on criminal offenses that manifest evidence of prejudice based on anti-semitism for the Central State Repository (CSR).
Background
DPS is responsible for the operation of the CSR in order to collect, store and disseminate complete and accurate Arizona criminal history records and related criminal justice information.
Under current law, DPS is required to collect: 1) personal identification data, fingerprints, charges, process control numbers and dispositions from all criminal justice agencies in Arizona of all persons who have been charged with, arrested for, convicted of or summoned to the court as a criminal defendant for a felony offense or an offense involving domestic violence; 2) the number and nature of offenses known to have been committed in Arizona and the legal steps taken in connection with these offenses; and 3) criminal offenses that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender or disability. Chief officers of law enforcement agencies in Arizona or Arizona's political subdivisions are subject to similar reporting requirements (A.R.S. § 41-1750).
Anti-semitism
is defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and the U.S.
Department of State as a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as
hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-semitism are
directed toward Jewish or
non-Jewish individuals or their property, toward Jewish community institutions
and toward religious facilities (U.S. Department of State).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Adds anti-semitism to the list of criminal offenses that manifest evidence of prejudice for which DPS is required to collect information on for the CSR.
2. Requires the chief officers of criminal justice agencies in Arizona or Arizona's political subdivisions to provide DPS information concerning crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on anti-semitism.
3. Establishes that anti-semitism includes the definition of anti-semitism that was adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, and the U.S. Department of State.
4. Specifies that anti-semitism does not include criticism of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country.
5. Makes conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 27, 2020
ZD/ML/kja