New York

Executive Order No. 157

UPDATE: On June 5, 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed Executive Order No. 157 (EO 157) Directing State Agencies And Authorities To Divest Public Funds Supporting BDS Campaign Against Israel.

• Read EO 157
• Take action!
• Media Coverage:
  • Dima Khalidi: Andrew Cuomo's BDS Blacklist is a Clear Violation of the First Amendment, The Nation
  • Palestine Legal's Media Round-up
  • The new McCarthyism is pro-Israel: Legal groups slam NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo for creating “unconstitutional” blacklist of BDS supporters, Salon
  • The Fight Against BDS just Took a Frightening Turn in New York, ThinkProgress
  • Andrew Cuomo’s Anti-Free Speech Move on B.D.S., New York Times

Bills

The most far-reaching, unconstitutional anti-BDS bills in the country are currently under consideration by the New York Legislature.

UPDATE: On June 6, 2016, Sen. Martins introduced SB 8017 which seeks to amend New York’s education law to defund any student group that “directly or indirectly promotes, encourage or permits” boycotts “based on race, class, gender, national origin” and other protected categories. 

S6378A/A9036* and S6086/A8220A** would:  1) create an online blacklist of individuals, non-profit organizations, companies, and other entities that support boycotts of Israel; 2) prohibit blacklisted individuals and entities from doing business with the state of New York; and 3) prohibit state pension funds from investing in companies engaged in politically motivated boycotts of Israel.

*S6378A/A9036 also apply to boycotts directed toward an "allied nation" of the U.S.

**A8220A excludes "individuals" from the blacklist it would create.

Find out more:

• Take action! (updated 5/3/2016)
• Share with your Legislator: 
  • Freedom to Boycott Coalition Letter to NY State Legislators 
  • Updated: Legal analysis by Palestine Legal, Center for Constitutional Rights, and National Lawyers Guild
  • Updated: Legal analysis by NYCLU
  • Updated: Legal analysis by National Coalition Against Censorship 
• Media Coverage
  • The new McCarthyism is pro-Israel: Legal groups slam NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo for creating “unconstitutional” blacklist of BDS supporters, Salon
  • The Fight Against BDS just Took a Frightening Turn in New York, ThinkProgress   
  • Is New York State About to Create a Blacklist of BDS Supporters? The Nation
  • Don't blacklist me, Salon
  • Legislation would undermine the right to boycott, Buffallo News
  • Oppose NY 'blacklisting' companies that support boycott of Israel, Syracuse.com
• Read the bills: SB6086/AB8220 and S6378A/A9036
• Bill status (updated 3/9/2016):  S6378A passed the Senate

Remember

These bills are the result of a campaign to suppress Palestine human rights activism in the U.S. Israel's interest in restricting this activism should not override our constitutional right to advocate for change. 

The good news is that your right to engage in boycotts related to Israeli human rights abuses and to advocate for BDS is protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. None of the bills and resolutions described here prohibit you from engaging in BDS activities.

Whatever your views on Israel and Palestine, these bills should be of concern because they threaten the rights of everyone in the U.S. to take collective action to address injustice. Moreover, we should all be alarmed that a foreign government, Israel, is lobbying U.S. politicians to restrict our rights.