Bill Text: IL HR0508 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Condemns the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education, which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff. Calls upon campus administrators to condemn all forms of anti-Semitism on college campuses and to ensure Jewish students, faculty, and guests can exercise the same free speech rights as are guaranteed to all other students, faculty, and guests without intimidation. Urges enforcement of State and federal civil rights laws to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism. Offers sympathy and compassion to families and individuals suffering from the current Israel-Hamas conflict.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 25-0)

Status: (Failed) 2025-01-07 - Session Sine Die [HR0508 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0508-Introduced.html

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HR0508 LRB103 35307 ECR 65355 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Both Hamas and Hezbollah are recognized by the
U.S. Department of State as Foreign Terrorist Organizations;
and
WHEREAS, On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise
attack to deliberately target Israeli civilians, which
included the killing and abduction of men, women, children,
and the elderly; and
WHEREAS, Hamas' stated goal is the total destruction of
the State of Israel and the murder of its Jewish citizens; and
WHEREAS, A disturbing number of student organizations at
institutions of higher education have placed blame solely upon
the State of Israel for the attack and have expressed support
for the terrorist actions of Hamas through the glorification
of violence and the usage of anti-Semitic rhetoric; and
WHEREAS, On October 9, 2023, the national leadership of
Students for Justice in Palestine declared a "day of
resistance", calling on student chapters across the United
States to demonstrate by "not just slogans and rallies, but
armed confrontation with oppressors" and, following this
announcement, many chapters issued pro-Hamas statements; and

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WHEREAS, On October 10, 2023, a Stanford University
lecturer targeted Jewish students during a class on
colonialism, justifying the actions of Hamas terrorists by
calling them "freedom fighters" and asking Jewish students to
identify themselves and stand in the corner to illustrate what
"Jews were doing to Palestinians"; and
WHEREAS, On October 15, 2023, in a complete disregard for
humanity, a Cornell University professor grabbed the
microphone at a campus rally and said that "Hamas has
challenged the monopoly of violence"; in reference to Hamas'
terror attack on Israel, he also said "It was exhilarating",
"It was energizing", and "I was exhilarated"; and
WHEREAS, On October 22, 2023, the Brandeis University
student government voted down a simple resolution condemning
Hamas and calling on the immediate release of all hostages
back to their families unharmed; and
WHEREAS, On October 24, 2023, George Washington University
students, at a vigil to support Hamas' surprise attack,
prominently projected signs on the walls of the university's
library, including "Glory to our Martyrs"; and
WHEREAS, On October 25, 2023, a walkout and protests took

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place at DePaul University in Chicago featuring over 100
students, where the chant "Death to Zionism" was heard and
flags for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a
Syria-based terrorist group, were seen; and
WHEREAS, The University of Illinois chapter of Students
for Justice in Palestine shared a video showing what appears
to be a Hamas terrorist filming himself inside of the home of
an Israeli family during the October 7th attack; and
WHEREAS, Many administrations of institutions of higher
education do not follow the practice of institutional
neutrality and frequently speak out on public issues but have
failed to speak out clearly after Hamas' October 7th attack,
exposing their lack of regard for their Jewish and pro-Israel
students; and
WHEREAS, The glorification of violence and the usage of
anti-Semitic rhetoric creates a hostile learning and working
environment for Jewish students, faculty, and staff;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we condemn the support of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other
terrorist organizations at institutions of higher education,

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which may lead to the creation of a hostile environment for
Jewish students, faculty, and staff; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call on campus administrators to condemn
all forms of anti-Semitism on college campuses and to ensure
Jewish students, faculty, and guests can exercise the same
free speech rights as are guaranteed to all other students,
faculty, and guests without intimidation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we urge the enforcement of State and
federal civil rights laws to protect Jewish students from
anti-Semitism; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we offer our sympathy and compassion to
families and individuals suffering from the current
Israel-Hamas conflict; and be it further