HANNAH WILLES

ASSISTANT RESEARCH ANALYST

ZACK DEAN

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

RESEARCH STAFF

TO:                  MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

DATE:            March 25, 2022

SUBJECT:      Strike everything amendment to H.B. 2675, relating to anti-Semitism

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.

Statute requires DPS 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).

The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance and the U.S. Department of State define antisemitism 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. Requires DPS to collect information concerning criminal offenses that manifest evidence of prejudice based on anti-Semitism.

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 antisemitism that was adopted by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance on May 26, 2016, and the U.S. Department of State, including the identified contemporary examples of anti-Semitism.

4. States that the definition of anti-Semitism does not diminish or infringe on any rights protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution or the Arizona Constitution.

5. Makes conforming changes.

6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.