Ohio and California recently passed new laws strengthening Title VI, VII, and IX provisions and adding new requirements for antisemitism training for staff and faculty. And other states have legislation in the works. The emergence of these new antisemitism laws mark a growing national trend to combat faith and ethnic-based bias, specifically in higher education.

Rising hate crimes have pushed lawmakers to set mandates that empower schools to report incidents transparently and create safer campuses with dedicated funding and anti-bias training.

This momentum reflects a commitment to protect academic spaces and uphold inclusion and equity as a core institutional value.

California

California’s recent Equity in Higher Education Act emphasizes the importance of addressing antisemitism and other forms of race- and faith-based bias and discrimination. The law mandates “training to address discrimination against the 5 most targeted groups in the state, as provided, as part of any general antidiscrimination training or diversity, equity, and inclusion training that is offered by the institution.” For 2023 those five groups, as reported by the California Attorney General included “Black, Jewish, Gay, Latino, and LGBTQ” Californians. The Equity in Higher Education Act includes a funding provision that allows for cost reimbursement through the existing statutory process.

Ohio

The Ohio CAMPUS Act (HB 606) mandates stronger anti-bias protocols and training in colleges that receive state funding, requiring them to report anti-religious bias incidents and update policies to ensure free expression and a safe learning environment. Campuses are also required to combat “antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Christian discrimination, and hatred, harassment, bullying, or violence toward others on the basis of their actual religious identity or what is assumed to be their religious identity at the institution.” The CAMPUS Act complements Ohio’s Section 3320.06 by intensifying focus on religious bias reporting and institutional responsibility and both laws build on Governor DeWine’s 2022 executive order expanding the definition of antisemitism.

Five Steps to Comply with Antisemitism Mandates

1. Make The Reporting Process Clear to Students, Faculty and Staff

Both Ohio laws and California’s Equity in Higher Education Act stress reporting. Ohio’s CAMPUS Act explicitly mandates to provide an option for anonymous reporting. The California Equity in Higher Education Act leans more heavily on existing Title IX reporting structures.

Clear reporting mechanisms not only help institutions measure progress but also fosters a safer, more inclusive environment where students, faculty, and employees feel empowered to speak up about incidents of bias or discrimination. Institutions may wish to audit their existing reporting mechanisms, modifying them to include new language and categories as needed.

2. Measure Progress

Data-driven transparency is a core requirement. Ohio’s CAMPUS Act requires institutions collect this data, stating “each institution of higher education and private nonprofit institution of higher education shall submit an annual report to the chancellor.” The California Equity in Higher Education Act, meanwhile, states that institutions must make efforts to “to minimize and eliminate a hostile environment on campus.”

Visibility into risk makes it easier to create targeted interventions. Equity audits and diagnostic tools can help pinpoint risk areas, allowing colleges to uphold compliance, intervene early, and facilitate meaningful behavior change. This aligns with the spirit of these new laws, ensuring that biases are addressed systematically and effectively.

3. Leverage Cultural Humility

Both Ohio and California highlight the need for training that fosters cultural awareness and respect for diverse beliefs.

Because faith-based bias overlaps with many of the more familiar protected classes (sex, gender, age, race, ethnicity, etc.), a best practice is to focus on training students, faculty, and staff on cultural humility.

Cultural humility describes a state of openness towards different perspectives, values, and experiences across cultures and is a key component of inclusion. It involves a willingness to learn and self-reflect honestly. Employees who leverage cultural humility are better able to communicate and work effectively across cultures, including those of different faiths. By measuring cultural humility, leaders understand team strengths and growth areas.

Assessing humility reveals data on openness to new ideas, self-awareness across cultures, and ability to build positive relationships. This data provides insights into how well teams can work across diverse audiences and adapt to new situations. Measuring humility also identifies obstacles to inclusivity, like a lack of self-awareness and self-reflection. Addressing these challenges reduces discrimination risk and creates psychological safety, aligning with legislation in both California and Ohio (and soon other states), and positioning institutions to meet future regulations from other states.

California’s Equity in Higher Education Act requires that “the California Community Colleges, the California State University, independent institutions of higher education that receive state financial assistance, and private postsecondary educational institutions that receive state financial assistance shall, and the University of California is requested to, include training to address discrimination against the five most targeted groups in the state” – whether those be religious groups, ethnic groups, or specific genders or sexual orientations.

Ohio’s CAMPUS Act is more focused on faith-based discrimination, stating “each institution of higher education shall create a campus task force on combating antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Christian discrimination, and hatred, harassment, bullying, or violence toward others on the basis of their actual religious identity or what is assumed to be their religious identity at the institution.”

This proactive approach helps prevent incidents of antisemitism and Islamophobia before they escalate, aligning with the expectations set forth by Ohio and California, and positioning institutions to meet future regulations from other states.

4. Mitigate Implicit Bias

Emphasizing ongoing learning about bias, bias diagnostics, and updated policies and procedures are critical to success.

Raising individual awareness about the role implicit (and explicit) biases play in day-to-day decisions plays an important role in long-term success. Educating staff, faculty, and students on ways to mitigate the negative impact of bias ensures that everyone has a chance to make a meaningful difference.

5. Commit to Continuous Improvement

Staying compliant with Ohio’s and California’s religious bias mandates is not a one-time effort. To succeed, institutions should commit to continuous improvement. This allows colleges and universities to adapt to evolving needs and expectations, ensuring that their efforts to address antisemitism, Islamophobia and other faith-based biases remain relevant and impactful. It also positions them to quickly adapt should other states introduce similar legislation, maintaining a leadership stance in diversity and inclusion.

Final Thoughts:

Proactive Compliance with Antisemitism & Faith-Based Bias Mandates

The new antisemitism and religious-based bias mandates from Ohio and California represent a growing recognition of the need for safety and inclusion in educational settings. With similar laws likely to follow in other states, institutions must be ready to take proactive steps. BiasSync’s Addressing Antisemitism and Islamophobia in the Workplace by Fostering Cultural Humility module offers practical solutions for going beyond compliance, supporting a culture of inclusivity across your organization.

By following these five steps—ensuring a clear reporting structure, measuring progress, leveraging cultural humility, mitigating implicit bias, and committing to continuous improvement—colleges, universities, and workplaces can align with the requirements of these new laws while creating lasting cultural change.

If you are interested in learning more about BiasSync’s antisemitism and Islamophobia trainings or on our proprietary cultural humility assessment, CultureConnect™, you are welcome to contact the team. For specific strategies on combatting antisemitism in the workplace, we encourage you to watch the full webinar.