A bill prohibiting California from contracting with businesses that engage in boycotts against the state’s trading partners, including Israel, advanced to the Assembly’s Appropriations Committee after passing this week in the Judiciary and Accountability and Administrative Review committees.
AB 2844, dubbed the California Combatting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions of Israel Act, is authored by Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) and replaces AB 1522, a bill with nearly identical language written last year by Orange County Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen. The original bill stalled until members of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus wrote their own version. Allen agreed to give up his bill and sign on as a co-author to the bipartisan AB 2844.
“California and Israel have historically stood together as allies due to our unique bond founded on shared values, a bilateral trade relationship and our unwavering commitment to freedom and democracy,” Allen said. “It is unconscionable for our state to do business with companies that play politics and boycott our critical allies.”