California bill lets residents identify as Jewish on state forms

California's Legislature has passed a bill allowing residents to voluntarily identify their Jewish heritage on state demographic forms, sending it to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk for signature. The measure would require state agencies collecting ethnicity or ancestry data to add “Jewish” as an option. Supporters say the change would give officials and researchers better data on Jewish Californians, including unemployment rates and representation in schools, helping lawmakers craft policies addressing community needs. David Bocarsly, CEO of the advocacy group Jewish California, said the data gap has long left Jewish residents undercounted in state planning. If signed by Newsom, California would join a small number of states tracking Jewish identity in official statistics.