Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Subcommittee amends anti‑SLAPP law to cover statements made in certain official proceedings; committee makes sanctions discretionary
Summary
The Criminal Subcommittee advanced HB 1888, a substitute that expands Virginia—s anti‑SLAPP protections to statements made "at or in connection with an official proceeding authorized by law," and that adds attorney-fee awards; the panel amended proposed mandatory sanctions to a discretionary standard after committee discussion and testimony.
Chair Simon introduced House Bill 1888 as a targeted change to Virginia—s anti‑SLAPP law to cover statements made "at or in connection with an official proceeding authorized by law." The substitute also included an attorney-fee provision and initially proposed mandatory sanctions against parties who bring retaliatory suits; the committee later amended the substitute to make sanctions discretionary (changed the second "shall" on line 26 to "may").
Why it matters: supporters said the change would protect complainants who participate in quasi-judicial or investigatory proceedings (Title IX proceedings were cited repeatedly) from retaliatory civil suits intended to chill speech and deter future reporting. Opponents and…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
