Antisemitism Task Force gets approval from House Government Operations Subcommittee

A House subcommittee is backing a proposed task force that would monitor and track antisemitic acts in Florida.

The 15-member House Government Operations Subcommittee gave unanimous support to the proposed Antisemitism Task Force measure (HB 111). The bill is sponsored by Rep. Mike Gottlieb, a Davie Democrat who spoke before the subcommittee and said the proposed panel has become necessary as hate crimes against Jewish residents have increased.

“From approximately 2014 to 2024 antisemitic incidents have increased by roughly 893%” across the United States, according to figures from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Gottlieb told the subcommittee. “That has to be 1,000% at least, because that number is reported incidents and we all know that there are incidents that are not reported.”

In 2024 alone, Gottlieb said, there were more than 9,000 antisemitic incidents in America, according to ADL figures.

Gottlieb’s bill proposes that the Task Force would be an offshoot of the Florida Office of Civil Rights and that office would provide support staff and other administrative services.

The Antisemitism Task Force would be composed of 18 members from across the state. Those panelists would be appointed by various agencies and officials, including the Legislature, Attorney General’s Office, Florida law enforcement and several other organizations. Each member would serve two-year terms.

The panel would also be expected to monitor antisemitic hate crimes and advise the state on possible changes in laws governing hate crimes. The Task Force would automatically disband Oct. 1, 2029, unless lawmakers approve an extension.

Rep. Susan Valdés, a Tampa Republican, asked Gottlieb if the Task Force would only be monitoring incidents of antisemitism or “hate in general.”

Gottlieb said it would be broader.

“The answer would be yes,” Gottlieb said. “You can’t only have one metric, one data point, because you’re going to compare it to other hate, other types of prejudice and racism.”

The bill is next slated to be considered by the House State Affairs Committee.

The measure has a companion bill (SB 1072) ready for consideration in the Senate that is sponsored by Alexis Calatayud, a Miami Republican.