Assemblymember Ward Bill Signed by Governor Provides New Protections From Targeted Hate Littering

(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ and other flyers with hateful messaging have increasingly been distributed in many cities throughout California in recent years, leaving law enforcement and victims with few options to hold offenders accountable due to its legal ambiguity. This tactic has become the preferred method of hate groups to intimidate and dehumanize others while allowing them to remain in the shadows. Now, a new law AB 3024: The Stop Hate Littering Act will provide more tools to stop this tactic from gaining more ground by allowing victims to pursue civil recourse and prosecutors the ability to hold offenders accountable. 

“The act of hate littering goes beyond what is intended in our First Amendment protections,” said Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego). “When hate groups are deliberately going into Jewish communities to leave anti-Semitic flyers on the doorsteps, vehicles and personal property of their victims to try to intimidate and harass them where they live, that’s not free speech. That’s attempting to turn neighbor against neighbor, and it makes the people these flyers are targeting afraid to be themselves and live their lives in their own neighborhood.”

The Stop Hate Littering Act will make necessary updates to existing law by building on the Ralph Act of 1976 (which states that all persons have the right to be free from violence and intimidation). The Anti-Defamation League reports that the spread of anti-Semitic flyers is part of a disturbing trend of rising anti-Semitic hate. In 2023, the organization recorded over 3,600 acts of anti-Semitic assault, vandalism, and harassment in the United States, marking the highest number of such incidents since tracking began in 1979.

“Hate of all types is never to be tolerated in San Diego – and with the passage of AB 3024, our government sends a strong message that threatening flyers that terrorize our communities are not just immoral, but in fact illegal,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo. “Thank you Assemblymember Ward for your partnership to put in place stronger deterrents that will protect our neighborhoods from hate.”

As recently as August, hate flyers were distributed in Berkeley featuring a barcode that led to an anti-Semitic website. At the same time, residents in Walnut Creek, Lafayette and Concord in the East Bay received anti-Semitic fliers left at their homes, including ones deliberately left at the doorsteps of local Jewish congregants. In San Diego alone, at least eight instances of anti-Semitic flyers being distributed on car windshields were documented in 2023. Additionally, anti-Armenian hate flyers were distributed in Los Angeles neighborhoods and hate flyers have also appeared in Fresno.

“Thanks to Assemblymember Ward and Councilmember Campillo for working together to help ensure that those who seek to spread fear and division in our communities are held accountable for their cowardly actions,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. “This bill reinforces our commitment to protecting all of our residents from hate and intolerance, no matter who they are or where they come from, and I am grateful to the Governor for signing it into law." 

I want to thank my colleague, Assemblymember Chris Ward, who demonstrated courage and compassion by identifying hate as a grave issue and acting on it with the urgency it deserves,” said San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott. “Legislation often takes years to move through Sacramento, but Assemblymember Ward worked hard to fast-track this bill for approval.”

AB 3024: The Stop Hate Littering Act goes into effect immediately.