Florida lawmakers are looking to address growing anti-semitism in the state as they plan to spend $25 million to protect Jewish day schools and preschools and another $10 million on nonprofit organizations to help bolster security.
The proposed legislation, brought forth in identical bills in the Florida House and Senate, would establish $10 million in grants for synagogues, schools, museums, and community centers that lawmakers say are “at high risk for violent attacks or hate crimes.”
The funds would be distributed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management through its “Nonprofit Security Grant program,” which was established this year. The program is meant to protect communities from extremist attacks.
The proposals would also direct $25 million to the state Department of Education, which would direct grants to full-time Jewish day schools and Jewish preschools.
$20 million of the funds is for schools to hire security workers and “training security personnel and staff on threat awareness, emergency procedures and first aid.” The remaining $5 is for hardening materials or items, like shatter-proof windows and security cameras.
Florida state Rep. Randy Fine posted on X about the legislation, stressing its importance.
“Just filed HB 7C for the special session, which will allocate $35 million in emergency funding to protect Florida’s Jewish day schools, synagogues, Holocaust museums, and cultural centers. The Florida Legislature is stepping up to protect Florida’s Jews. Few will ever know the heart of Speaker [Paul Renner] that I have witnessed the past four weeks,” Rep. Fine said.
Fine is Florida’s only Jewish Republican lawmaker and has been vocal about his support for Israel amidst the country’s war against Hamas.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is currently running for the GOP 2024 presidential nomination, has also been vocal in his support for Israel, going as far as to say that he would deport foreign students in the country who support Hamas.
So far, Israel’s war on Hamas, which began after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Oct. 7, has seen more than 1,400 Israeli citizens lose their lives and more than 9,200 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.