“Today marks the final voting session of the 221st Legislature, and as we bring this chapter to a close, I couldn’t be more proud of the work our caucus has done on behalf of the people of New Jersey. Over the last two years, Assembly Democrats kept a steady focus on the challenges families talk to us about every day, and together we met those challenges with purpose and resolve. At a time of mounting uncertainty and pressure from Washington, we stood firm in our shared values and made clear that New Jersey would continue to lead with fairness and stability. “We enacted meaningful property tax relief which put real money back into the pockets of working families. We expanded access to housing, strengthened an economy that continues to grow, and invested in our communities. We also made sure addressing hunger and food insecurity remained a priority, because we recognize that no one can get ahead when they are struggling to put food on the table. “We will continue that work in this final voting session, passing bills that strengthen the foundation we have built, protecting workers through expanded family leave, protecting our privacy, and safeguarding our diverse communities with measures that reinforce trust and safety. “The progress we reflect on today, though worthy of our acknowledgement, is not the result of a single vote or a single moment, but of a caucus that showed up, did the work, and understood that change is built piece by piece. I want to thank every member of our caucus for their partnership, their leadership, and their unrelenting willingness to put the needs of New Jersey families first. I look forward to continuing our work in the next legislative session.”

The NJ Coalition for Free Speech today welcomes the decision of State Assembly and Senate Leadership not to advance the harmful IHRA Antisemitism Bill (A3558/S1292) in the New Jersey State Legislature, marking a significant victory for free speech, academic freedom, civil liberties, and democratic values. The lack of support for the IHRA bill, as reflected in public statements by elected officials, demonstrates the strength of a broad, principled coalition of Palestinian, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, K–12 and higher education, labor union, and civil rights organizations, advocates, and community members who came together to oppose legislation that would have threatened constitutionally protected speech and political expression.

This diverse coalition stood united in the belief that combating antisemitism must never come at the expense of free speech or the silencing of legitimate criticism of government policy. Members of the coalition consistently warned that the IHRA bill, as drafted, risked conflating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism, chilling speech, and disproportionately harming Muslim, Palestinian, Arab, and Jewish advocates for human rights.

“The defeat of the IHRA bill is a testament to the power of principled coalitional organizing,” said Ali Aljarrah, State Lead for CAIR Action NJ. “Our diverse coalition proved that fighting hate and protecting free speech are not competing values, but inseparable ones.”

“Combating antisemitism and protecting civil liberties are interconnected goals that safeguard all communities. This objective is poorly served by legislation that misrepresents human rights advocacy as hate speech,” said Haliema Twam, Civic Engagement and Advocacy Manager at the Palestinian American Community Center. 

“Despite being framed by some media outlets as primarily a Jewish versus Muslim issue, that is not true.  Many Jewish organizations and individuals represented by our free speech coalition reject the weaponization of antisemitism and affirm that protecting the safety and dignity of those of us who identify as Jewish but deny any connection to the Israeli state goes hand-in-hand with defending free expression,” said Renée Steinhagen, a member of Jewish Voice for Peace-Northern New Jersey. “As Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, said, we need ‘more speech, not forced silence.’”

“The rejection of IHRA is a foundation to build on as we continue confronting attempts to silence communities of conscious, criminalize advocacy for justice in Palestine, and normalize policies that enable genocide,” said Hafsa Habehh, American Muslims for Palestine – NJ Chapter. “The long-term efforts to institutionalize the IHRA definition now face organized opposition.”

“Our office has been fighting variations of this definition for over six years. We’re glad our legislators have chosen to uphold free speech once again.” said Selaedin Maksut, Executive Director for CAIR-NJ. “While this bill is now dead for this session, we remain vigilant and call on our elected officials to continue opposing it should it be reintroduced in the future.”

“Resistencia en Acción is relieved that the IHRA definition of antisemitism did not pass in the legislature. This definition can be used to suppress political speech and further criminalize immigrant communities, including through ICE and other enforcement systems—as was done to a New Jersey resident, Leqaa Kordia,” said Ana Paola, Executive Director of Resistencia en Acción NJ.

Throughout the legislative process, including three Assembly committee hearings and one multi-day Senate committee hearing, each lasting for several hours, the advocates testifying in opposition to the IHRA bill appreciated that their voices were heard. 

“The State of New Jersey has shown that it can simultaneously protect civil rights and uphold free speech,” said Dr. Heather Pierce, political science professor and president of the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union. “We urge our elected leaders to build on this moment by listening to impacted communities, engaging in genuine dialogue, and rejecting the false dichotomy between combating antisemitism and defending democratic values.”

The coalition now calls on New Jersey’s elected officials, including incoming Governor Mikie Sherrill, to stand on the right side of history by rejecting legislative efforts that erode First Amendment protections. Elected leaders must instead pursue policies that address hate and discrimination through education, community investment, and enforcement of existing civil rights laws, without compromising constitutional freedoms.