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House unanimously advances anti‑SLAPP bill to protect public expression
Summary
House Bill 292, modeled on the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (anti‑SLAPP), passed committee unanimously as amended. The bill creates an expedited dismissal process and a mandatory award of attorney fees for prevailing defendants.
Representative Millett introduced House Bill 292, the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (anti‑SLAPP), describing it as legislation that protects free expression by allowing early motions to dismiss meritless suits that seek to chill public participation.
"This bill discourages lawsuits against journalists and citizen activists whose only offense was saying something that the subject of the article or speech didn't like," Millett said. The bill requires courts to stay discovery pending resolution of an anti‑SLAPP motion, expedite hearings, and includes a mandatory award of costs and attorney fees for prevailing movants.
The sponsor offered a technical amendment to ensure the act does not stay protective-order proceedings between the parties; the clerk recorded unanimous support for that amendment and for the bill as amended. Representative Rivas supported the measure as bipartisan and said it mirrors a uniform act adopted in other states; the sponsor said the amendment was intended as an "insurance policy" to prevent unintended stays of protective orders.
The committee voted 100-0 in favor of the amended bill; House Bill 292 passed second reading as recorded in the transcript and will proceed in the legislative process.
