FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Executive Director of Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center’s erroneous analysis influenced AZ Gov Katie Hobbs to VETO 2025 The Antisemitism in Education Act (HB2867)

CONTROVERSY ERUPTS OVER LEGITIMACY OF ARIZONA GOVERNOR KATIE HOBBS’ REASONS FOR VETOING ARIZONA HOUSE BILL HB2867

THE ANTISEMITISM IN EDUCATION ACT

PHOENIX, AZ (06/27/2025) On June 10, 2025, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs sent to Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro a letter describing her reasons for vetoing the bipartisan ANTISEMITISM IN EDUCATION ACT, which had passed the Arizona House and Senate. In her letter, the Governor summarized her objections to the bill by stating, “Unfortunately, this Bill is not about antisemitism; it’s about attacking our teachers.” With her veto message, Governor Hobbs enclosed only one document, a June 6, 2025 letter sent to her by Lori Shepherd, Executive Director of the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center. In deciding to veto the Bill, the Governor placed great reliance on Shepherd’s interpretation of the Bill’s language.

The Antisemitism In Education Act was introduced by Arizona House Representative Michael Way, and it had both Republican and Democratic cosponsors when it passed the House. Senator J.D. Mesnard sponsored a significant amendment which was adopted by the Senate, which then passed the Bill.

While HB2867 was still in the legislative process, Representative Way discussed with Governor Hobbs’ staff the necessity of holding a meeting with her, or with her staff, to explain in detail the need for this anti-Semitism bill and how it would operate in practice. The Governor’s staff declined to meet with him. Later in the process Senator Mesnard also requested a meeting with the governor or her staff, with a delegation to include Senator Mesnard, Representative Way, a Democratic cosponsor of the Bill in the House, and the author of the Bill, constituent Michael Goldstein. The Governor’s staff also declined Senator Mesnard’s request, stating that there was no interest in such a meeting, and that it would not accomplish any changes in the Executive Department’s thinking.

HB2867 was drafted by Representative Way’s constituent Michael Goldstein, who after thoroughly analyzing Executive Director Shepherd’s letter to the Governor and comparing it to the bill’s actual language, had this to say:

“Shepherd’s analysis of the antisemitism bill I researched and drafted, and the conclusions she sent to the governor, were faulty in the extreme. What HB2867 says, and the way it would operate in practice, are exactly the opposite of the interpretation Shepherd sent to the governor, who then based her veto decision on the inaccurate information provided. After my thorough analysis of her letter to the governor, I concluded that Shepherd either may not have read the bill at all, may have read it only in a cursory manner, or having read it, may not have understood it. Alternatively, Executive Director Shepherd may have purposely chosen to misconstrue the bill’s plain language. There is no indication that she did any research at all into the legislative record which contains the documents filed in support of the bill in the House and Senate. From the public record, including her LinkedIn page, Director Shepherd appears not to have the education, experience, or self-study to understand the historical context of the bill’s purpose or what it actually says. It cannot be discounted that for political or ideological reasons unrelated to the actual language of the bill, Director Shepherd may have wanted Governor Hobbs to veto it. I have sent an open letter to Lori Shepherd with my analysis of the letter she sent to Governor Hobbs, and I concluded my letter with a request that she communicate to the governor that she is withdrawing from the governor’s consideration the letter she wrote to her on June 6, 2025.”

Regarding Governor Hobbs’ veto, the Bill’s sponsor, Representative Michael Way, wrote: @MichaelWayAZ

“In her most disgraceful veto yet, Governor Hobbs struck down a bipartisan bill to stop antisemitism in Arizona schools. I am deeply disappointed by her decision—paying lip service to opposing antisemitism while backing away from a law with real teeth. Instead of standing with Jewish students and faculty, she sided with those who promote hate and hostility on campus. This bill was aimed at prohibiting the teaching of egregious and blatant antisemitic content. To suggest that it threatened the speech of most Arizona teachers is disingenuous at best. House Republicans acted to confront antisemitism—Hobbs’ veto protects it. I will continue to stand with the Jewish community in Arizona and in my district to ensure taxpayer dollars are never used to fund violent political indoctrination.”

Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro concurred: @SteveMontenegro

“Katie Hobbs has issued hundreds of misguided vetoes to date, but THIS one bolstering the hateful teachings of antisemitism in public school classrooms takes the cake. Every child deserves a quality education free of the abhorrent rhetoric that promotes hostility toward our Jewish communities. This veto is beyond the pale, and the House WILL proceed with a veto override before this session adjourns.”

The parents of Arizona’s K-12 and higher education students will not forget that for at least the next two years, the Governor’s veto has left their children at risk for continued indoctrination into anti-Semitism in their classrooms, and for harassment and intimidation on school premises.

Michael S. Goldstein, Esq.
Legislative Consultant
Phone/Text (216) 209-2600
Queen Creek, Arizona

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