CALIFORNIA, June 3, 2022 (Hindu American Foundation): AB2282 will make California the first state to: 1) Recognize the swastika as a symbol of peace to the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist communities in its penal code, adding a layer of protection; and 2) Identify the Nazi emblem as the “hakenkreuz” and “hooked cross”. These are two monumental victories in recognizing and educating the public about the swastika. Furthermore, AB2282 removes the threat of harassment for displaying a swastika. The term “Nazi swastika” was not removed as all legislation must first be vetted by the Legislative Counsel, a nonpartisan committee of attorneys who advise legislators on the constitutionality of bill language; a legislator cannot introduce legislation without clearance from the Legislative Counsel. In the case of AB2282, Legislative Counsel determined that to legally decriminalize the swastika, the phrase “Nazi swastika” must remain because it exists in both the penal code and law enforcement training. Therefore, the language in AB2282 is a stopgap solution.
Even though Legislative Counsel determined that “Nazi swastika” must remain, HAF saw an opportunity to create an amendment that educates the public, decriminalizes the swastika, and begins the multiyear process of reforming the California Penal Code. The authors’ intent of AB2282 was to equalize hate crimes penalties for white nationalists; HAF clarified that the emblem, commonly and incorrectly referred to as “Nazi swastika” in the West, is actually a symbol of peace in our community. AB2282 does not overhaul the California Penal Code. The overhauling process is a multi-step, multi-year process that will require several pieces of future legislation. AB2282 was never intended to be — and legally cannot be — the vehicle to overhaul the penal code. However, AB2282 can be a mechanism to clarify that the penal code is not intended to target Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. AB2282 educates the California public on the difference between the hakenkreuz and the swastika. It decriminalizes the display of the swastika, explicitly recognizing it as a holy symbol of peace under California law. This adds a clear layer of protection that did not exist before.
More on the bill at source.
https://www.hinduamerican.org/california-ab2282-faqs
For more information:
https://www.hinduamerican.org/swastika