In Sweeping Ruling, Court Rejects Effort to Block AB 715

Federal Judge Allows California’s Landmark Antisemitism Prevention Law to Take Effect Tomorrow, Finds Lawsuit Unlikely to Succeed

SAN JOSE, CA – Today, a federal court decisively rejected an effort to block Assembly Bill 715, allowing California’s landmark antisemitism prevention law to take effect tomorrow, as scheduled. In a sweeping ruling, the court denied a request for a preliminary injunction brought by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and a group of California teachers and students, finding that their claims are not only premature, but unlikely to succeed on the merits.

In its order, the court ruled that the plaintiffs failed to show a likelihood of success on their constitutional claims and rejected their central arguments outright. The court held that AB 715 is not unconstitutional on its face, that teachers do not have a First Amendment right to inject personal political viewpoints while teaching government-regulated curricula, that the law is neither vague nor overbroad, and that student plaintiffs lack standing altogether. Even if the claims were ripe for review, the court concluded, they would likely fail.

As a result of today’s ruling, AB 715 will move forward and take effect on January 1, 2026. The lawsuit may continue, but the court’s analysis strongly affirms the law’s constitutional foundation and California’s authority to protect students from discrimination while preserving free speech.

AB 715 – authored by Assemblymembers Rick Chavez Zbur and Dawn Addis, sponsored by the Jewish Public Affairs Committee of California (JPAC), and supported by 72 diverse Jewish organizations – creates the nation’s first statewide Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator within the new Office of Civil Rights to develop antisemitism trainings for educators, track incidents, guide accountability, and recommend future reforms. It also ensures schools respond swiftly to incidents and build safer, more inclusive school environments so that Jewish students – and all students – can learn without fear. Any ruling blocking AB 715 would also have jeopardized the creation of the Office of Civil Rights and the prevention coordinators serving other vulnerable communities under SB 48.

The court further emphasized that AB 715 largely builds upon longstanding California education law, which already prohibits discriminatory instruction, and found no evidence that the statute compels censorship or suppresses lawful classroom discussion.

The law was defended by the Office of California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The ruling follows the filing of JPAC’s amicus brief by Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, led by partners Alex Weingarten, Matthew Gurvitz, and Former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, joined by 31 Jewish organizations across California. The brief argues that AB 715 is a constitutionally sound approach that allows schools to prevent harassment and discrimination without infringing upon First Amendment rights.

Antisemitic incidents in California’s K-12 schools have increased by 623% in the last decade, exposing Jewish children to verbal harassment and biased instruction. Anti-Jewish hate crimes statewide more than tripled during that time, including a 64% increase in the last two years, according to the California Department of Justice.

“Today’s ruling is a powerful and clear affirmation that protecting students from harassment is not only lawful, it is essential,” said David Bocarsly, Executive Director of JPAC. “The court rejected the core premise of this lawsuit and made clear that AB 715 respects free speech while ensuring schools meet their responsibility to keep students safe. Jewish students deserve classrooms free from intimidation and discrimination, and AB 715 helps make that promise real. We are grateful to Attorney General Bonta for defending this law and keeping Jewish students safe.”

The case, Andrea Prichett, et al. v. Gavin Newsom, et al. (5:25-cv-09443-NW-NMC), is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and may proceed through the litigation process.