Never forget: Senate passes bill to establish Holocaust Remembrance Day

Lori Berman ius seeking protections for workers who happen to be medical marijuana patients. Image via Colin Hackley.

Senate lawmakers have unanimously approved a bill declaring Jan. 27 as Holocaust Remembrance Day across Florida.

The Senate passed the bill (SB 356) with a 38-0 vote. Sen. Lori Berman, a Boynton Beach Democrat, sponsored the measure.

“This legislation provides schools and the executive branch with the tools to ensure Floridians understand these atrocities by recognizing Jan. 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We empower Floridians with the knowledge to uphold justice and morality,” Berman said.

Jan. 27 holds significance in history because it’s the day the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in Poland 80 years ago.

Berman gave an emotional speech on the Senate floor as she slammed the response from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1,200 people, while 250 others were abducted. She took aim with supporters of Palestinians.

“We in the Jewish community feel sad, disappointed, confused and angry due to the global reaction and treatment of Israel and Jews worldwide, antisemitic acts and threats have surged alarmingly,” said Berman, who is Jewish, during Thursday’s debate on the Senate floor.

“Being a Jewish college student now means facing areas of exclusion on your own campus along with disruption of classes and the spread of gross inaccuracies.”

The House version of the bill (HB 251) cleared its last committee stop Wednesday and has been placed on the calendar for a second reading. That bill was sponsored by Reps. Debra Tendrich and Rita Harris, who are both Democrats.

During testimony this week, lawmakers in both chambers of state government expressed hope that the bill would raise awareness and fight back against antisemitism happening in the Sunshine State. 

Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith called remembrance days important “to remind people about our history, so that we do not repeat that history, especially at a time now where we see rising hatred and rising antisemitism across our state, across this country and across the globe.”