Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civil Liability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House approves bill allowing civil suits against financiers of paid protesters
Summary
The House passed legislation that can make organizations or people who pay demonstrators civilly liable for certain criminal acts carried out during protests. Sponsors said the bill protects victims and holds organizers accountable; critics warned of vagueness and constitutional concerns.
The House debated and approved Senate Bill 22 22 on third reading after focused floor discussion over the bill's definitions and enforcement.
Sponsor Representative Boyd described the bill as a mechanism to hold those who "pay" demonstrators responsible if they commission or enable criminal activity during demonstrations. "If a person or an entity pays someone to protest, and during that protest that person commits ... offenses ... the financier of the paid protester can be held civilly liable," the sponsor said on the floor.
Members pressed the sponsor on the statute's definitions — what constitutes compensation "for the purpose of demonstrating," whether salaried staff of organizations could be swept in, and whether the language would chill protected speech. Supporters responded that liability would require proof that the payment was provided for the demonstrator's participation and reiterated that protected peaceful protest is not the target of the measure.
The House recorded a final passage roll call with the Clerk reporting a constitutional majority; the Clerk announced the tally as 71 yeas and 20 nays. The bill will proceed according to legislative enrollment procedures.
