In a unanimous vote, an amendment was added to HB 2107 today and passed by the Pennsylvania Senate State Government Committee.
HB 2107 “prohibits the Department of General Services from contracting with certain companies” unless “the company is not currently engaged in a boycott of a person or an entity.”
The company is also prohibited from engaging “in a boycott of a person or an entity.”
The bill itself passed earlier this year in the House.
The amendment today prohibits “the state of Pennsylvania from signing into a procurement contract with any company who performs a boycott, divestment, sanction (BDS) against Israel.”
The bill will have a reading on the Senate floor and referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration, which will occur two weeks from now.
StandWithUs Philadelphia issued a statement in support of the measure.
“We are proud that Pennsylvania joined the ranks of those states that are actively fighting the anti-Israel, anti-Semitic commercial attacks against the only democracy in the Middle East. We thank the Senate committee for its unanimous vote; clearly, legislators recognize the divisive nature of the BDS movement and the need to protect the state’s economy,” Director Joseph Puder said.
Contact: rkurland@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0737
