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Bill to curb retaliatory defamation suits in sexual‑assault and domestic‑violence cases retained for further work after committee debate
Summary
Supporters of HB 580, designed to protect alleged victims from retaliatory defamation lawsuits, argued it would shield survivors from intimidation; opponents warned the bill could tip procedural burdens and raise proof‑standard issues. The committee voted to retain the bill for further drafting.
Concord — The House Judiciary Committee scrutinized HB 580, a bill intended to protect people who report sexual assault, sexual harassment, or domestic violence from retaliatory defamation lawsuits, hearing lengthy testimony from the bill’s sponsors, victims’ advocates and attorneys who urged caution on the wording.
Representative Anita Burrows, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the committee the measure aims to stop the tactic of filing costly defamation suits to intimidate people who report misconduct. “This is a bill that seeks to prevent retaliatory defamation for individuals who are reporting misconduct, sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or domestic violence,” Burrows said. She described two key protections: allowing good‑faith statements to be shielded from defamation claims and preserving the right of the accused to defend their name, provided statements are…
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