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With a 30-0 vote on Wednesday, the Missouri Senate passed a proposed bill, HB 2061, to address and prohibit antisemitic discrimination in the state’s public K-12 schools and institutions of higher education.

The legislation, sponsored by State Representative George Hruza and State Senator Curtis Trent, defines antisemitism using the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism, including its 11 contemporary examples, which was endorsed in an executive proclamation by then-Governor Michael Parson in 2023. It was approved last month by a 109-21 margin in the Missouri House of Representatives.

The bill mandates the integration of the definition into student, faculty, and employee codes of conduct, and facilitates stricter enforcement of Title VI of the U.S. Civil Rights Act by directing the Missouri State Board of Education and the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to each designate a Title VI coordinator to monitor, report, and investigate antisemitic discrimination in public K-12 and post-secondary schools.

HB 2061 now returns to the House of Representatives for a final vote on Thursday before going to Governor Mike Kehoe for signature.

The full details and text of HB 2061 are available HERE.

Testifying at a Senate General Laws Committee hearing at the State Capitol in Jefferson City in March, Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Director of State Engagement David Soffer said, “This bill is timely and critical, as it will help prevent further antisemitic incidents in Missouri’s K-20 public schools. Passing HB 2061 will send a powerful message that Missouri is taking proactive steps to protect its Jewish community.”

“Missouri will also demonstrate to the rest of the nation its commitment to combating hatred in all its forms and to ensuring the safety and dignity of all students, faculty, and staff,” Soffer added.

A total of 38 U.S. states have adopted or endorsed the IHRA antisemitism definition, according to a database compiled by the Antisemitism Research Center (ARC) by CAM, with 17 codifying it into state law.

The definition was previously endorsed in Missouri in an executive proclamation by then-Governor Michael Parson in 2023.

Over the past year, CAM has prioritized educating state legislators across the U.S. on antisemitism-related issues and potential policy remedies.

In this time, CAM has tracked legislative initiatives put forth in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin, and seven of these states — Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wisconsin — have seen new laws enacted since April 2025.

In June 2025, lawmakers and executive officials from 17 states convened in Kansas City, Missouri, for the first-ever CAM-hosted State Leadership Summit on Antisemitism.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – Gun deaths in Missouri increased by 8% in the past 10 years, according to the CDC.

Gun safety advocates gathered at the state capitol asking lawmakers for red flag laws that would put a notice on someone’s background check if they have a violent history, such as domestic abuse or self-harm attempts, to prevent them from buying or owning guns.

Leslie Washington with Moms Demand Action shared her story of surviving a violent relationship, hoping to sway lawmakers.

“I’m the one who’s gonna share my story and be the voice for the voiceless for those that are afraid to talk,” Washington said.

The only gun bills moving forward in the state capitol would do the opposite. Republican Senator Brad Hudson’s bill would prevent cities and counties from putting red flag laws in place.

“What I want to do is I want to make sure that we’re not in a situation in Missouri where political subdivisions can enact gun control that is stricter than what Missouri law allows,” said Hudson.

Hudson said the state needs to protect Missourians’ Second Amendment rights.

Hudson’s bill and a similar one in the Missouri House are both making progress. Both have been received well by committee but not debated on the floor.

Missouri has the third highest rate of people who experience domestic violence, according to CDC data. The chances of being killed by a partner are five times higher if they own a gun. Every year, an average of 37 women are shot and killed by their partner.

“Gun violence and domestic violence are very inextricably related,” Washington said.

Washington wants Missouri to implement red flag laws that would prevent people with a history of domestic violence from buying or owning guns.

“I have to push forward and I have to continue to do the work because I’ve had family members that I’ve lost to gun violence,” Washington said. “And if you’re in that seat, Senate; House; whatever, you need to do what is right and to vote no on these bad gun bills,” Washington said.

With just over a month until the end of this year’s legislative session, lawmakers are running short on time to get bills to the governor.

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