Legislation

125th Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Bernstein. Signed by Gov. Henry McMaster, effective May 13, 2024 (Act 138).

Writes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law, including its "contemporary examples," and directs the State to "take into consideration" that definition when reviewing claims of discrimination, including on college campuses. Those examples treat calling Israel's existence "a racist endeavor," comparing Israeli policy to the Nazis, or applying "double standards" to Israel as antisemitism. That covers much of what we publish on this site. We oppose this law without apology.

121st Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Clemmons. Signed by Gov. Nikki Haley, June 4, 2015 (Act 63). Codified at S.C. Code Section 11-35-5300.

Bars state agencies from contracting with companies that boycott a jurisdiction South Carolina trades with. It was the first anti-BDS law in the country. Read it closely, though: the statute never names Israel or the BDS movement; it is written in terms of boycotts "based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin." Its backers said plainly what it was for: crushing boycotts of Israel.

126th Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Bernstein. Introduced and adopted April 22, 2025.

Declares South Carolina's "enduring friendship and partnership" with the State of Israel and directs a copy to the Israeli Consulate. Every sitting member of the House, all 123 of them, signed it. The 124th seat was vacant that day.

125th Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Bernstein. Introduced and adopted January 24, 2024.

Adopted after October 7, 2023, it resolves that the House shows its "unwavering support for Israel's defense of its territory and citizens" and condemns the actions taken by Hamas. It carried 135 sponsors.

125th Session. Lead sponsor: Sen. Alexander. Adopted by the General Assembly May 3, 2023.

A concurrent resolution recognizing Israel on its 75th anniversary and commending its relationship with South Carolina and the United States. It carried 46 Senate sponsors.

119th Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Clemmons. Adopted June 2, 2011.

The oldest measure on this list, and the most explicit. It declares that "Israel is neither an attacking force nor an occupier of the lands of others," and it grounds Israel's claim to the land in scripture, quoting Leviticus. It carried 41 sponsors.

126th Session. Sponsor: Sen. Grooms. Introduced April 16, 2025. Residing in Senate Judiciary.

A Senate resolution recognizing the "enduring friendship and partnership" between South Carolina and Israel, using the same language as the House's H. 4352. It references, but did not create, the South Carolina-Israel Caucus.

126th Session. Sponsor: Rep. McCravy. Introduced January 14, 2026. In the House Committee on Invitations and Memorial Resolutions.

Would have the House recognize "Judea and Samaria as the ancestral heartland of the Jewish people" and reject the term "West Bank" as politicized, on historical, biblical, and legal grounds.

126th Session. Lead sponsor: Rep. Bernstein. Introduced March 5, 2025. Recommitted to House Judiciary February 2026. Senate companions: S. 518, S. 520.

Would create a state grant program for security upgrades at organizations at risk of a religiously motivated crime, including synagogues and churches. Rep. Bernstein presented it as part of the SC-Israel Caucus agenda.

Established April 8, 2025. More than 20 members. Co-chairs: Rep. Beth Bernstein and Sen. Larry Grooms.

A bipartisan, bicameral caucus of General Assembly members formed to deepen ties with Israel. It was created as a caucus, not by a bill. Its public rollout on April 23, 2025 featured Israel's Consul General to the Southeast and the Lieutenant Governor, and was interrupted by a pro-Palestine protest.

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis. $30 million purchased November 7, 2023; $155 million invested since 2011.

In November 2023, weeks into the war on Gaza, the Treasurer bought $30 million in Israel bonds at a 5.3 percent rate, calling it a reaffirmation of "our state's financial commitment to support them during this war with Hamas." It was part of $155 million the office has put into Israel bonds since 2011.

119th Congress. Senate: Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT). House: Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA). Introduced March 12, 2026.

Calls for accountability for the killing of five-year-old Hind Rajab, her family, and the paramedics sent to rescue her, and requires the State Department to report on the attack. Both versions remain in committee with no floor action.

119th Congress. Sponsor: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). Introduced February 4, 2025.

Would prohibit the federal government from using the term "West Bank," directing it to use "Judea and Samaria" instead. It remains in committee.

118th Congress. Sponsor: Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY). Passed the House May 1, 2024, by 320 to 91. Never voted on in the Senate.

Would require the Department of Education to use the IHRA definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal civil rights law in schools. It cleared the House with bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition, then died in the Senate at the end of the Congress.

119th Congress. Section 224 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2027 (H.R. 8800), House Armed Services Committee.

Directs the Secretary of Defense to name an executive agent to coordinate U.S.-Israel defense technology research, development, testing, integration, and industrial cooperation, across artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, directed energy, cyber, and biotechnology. Rep. Ro Khanna, joined by Rep. Sara Jacobs, moved to strike it in committee and the amendment failed. Rep. Thomas Massie said he would keep working to remove it from the final House bill.

119th Congress. House bill, with Senate companion S. 3855.

Creates the U.S.-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative to jointly develop and field defense technology and integrate Israeli-origin systems into U.S. forces, across counter-drone, missile defense, artificial intelligence, directed energy, and cyber. Its core provision is what was folded into the NDAA as Section 224.

119th Congress. House bill, with Senate companion S. 554. Introduced 2025.

Establishes a joint U.S.-Israel program for counter-drone technology, opens a U.S. Defense Innovation Unit office inside Israel, extends Israel's access to the U.S. War Reserve Stockpile, and moves Israel toward the U.S. national technology and industrial base.

119th Congress. Section 622 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2027 (S. 4615). Introduced by Sen. Tom Cotton; reported by the Senate Intelligence Committee May 20, 2026.

Directs the President to "expand and enhance" intelligence sharing with Israel, and requires any future President who moves to suspend, reduce, or limit that cooperation to document and report the decision to Congress. It is written to make it legally difficult for any future President to cut intelligence ties with Israel.

119th Congress. Sponsors: Rep. Marlin Stutzman and Rep. Abraham Hamadeh. Referred to House Foreign Affairs June 3, 2026.

A sense-of-the-House resolution that supports, in its own words, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's initiative to transition the United States-Israel relationship toward mutual defense cooperation and joint economic investment," and commends his "bold proposal." It is the clearest statement on the record that the four measures above carry out one man's plan.