Committee advances anti‑SLAPP bill to protect First Amendment participation

The Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee voted to pass House Bill 223, “preventing strategic lawsuits against public participation,” advancing the measure out of committee after sponsor and public testimony and several amendments.

The bill would create a qualified‑immunity procedure for defendants sued over exercise of rights protected by the First Amendment, allow an immediate appeal of denials of immunity motions, permit limited discovery to support immunity motions, require payment of costs and reasonable attorney fees to a prevailing defendant, and provide statutory damages “of no less than 10,000” to a successful movant. The bill as introduced also included a provision allowing a Wyoming resident sued in another state to recover attorney fees in Wyoming if the SLAPP protections would have applied at home; the sponsor and witnesses discussed that…