,i  #aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #iadf  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #g1 #bjbb,mr4 
,coh5 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,rask91 ,ms4     
,norton1 ,ms4 ,jackson ,lee1 & ,mr4     
,c>son7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y   
,a ,,bill  ,to am5d title #bh1 ,unit$   
,/ates ,code1 to set =? ! proc$ure =    
actions involv+ cov]$ spee*1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,free ,spee* ,protection   
,act4  #b4 ,spee* proce$+s  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,"p ,,vi ( title #bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates    
,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ aft] *apt]    
#aha ! foll[+3  #ahb ,cov]$ spee*  ,sec4
 #dbja4 ,treatm5t ( cov]$ spee*4 #dbjb4 
,rule modification4 #dbjc4 ,no          
preemption4 #dbjd4 ,def9itions4  #dbja4 
,treatm5t ( cov]$ spee*  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,a
 natural p]son may n be held civilly    
liable 9 a c\rt ( compet5t jurisdiction 
= defamation on ! basis ( cov]$ spee*1  
unless-- 7#a7 su* cov]$ spee* 0 kn[n by 
! natural p]son to be false1 or !       

natural p]son act$ neglig5tly ) disreg>d
 to ! falsity ( ! cov]$ spee*2 or  7#b7 
9 ! case t ! cov]$ spee* is relat$ to a 
public figure1 ! cov]$ spee* 0 made )   
actual malice4  7b7 ,liability =        
frivol\s1 malici\s1 or bad fai? claims  
7#a7 ,cause ( action  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,a  
natural p]son may br+ a civil action    
aga9/ an individual or entity t files a 
defamation claim describ$ 9 p>agraph    
7#b7 aga9/ su* natural p]son 9 a c\rt ( 
compet5t jurisdiction to obta9 ! relief 
describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b74  7,b7      
,relief ,a c\rt may aw>d z relief to a  
pla9tiff br++ a civil action "u ?is     
p>agraph-- 7i7 actual damages2 or  7ii7 
/atutory damages ( #ej1jjj1  :i*ev] is  
great]4  7,c7 ,attorney's fees ,a       
pla9tiff prevail+ 9 a civil action "u   
?is p>agraph may be aw>d$ reasonable    
attorney's fees4  7#b7 ,claim describ$  
,a defamation claim describ$ 9 ?is      
p>agraph is a claim-- 7,a7 = :i* a c\rt 
det]m9es t liability is preclud$ "u     
subsection 7a72 &  7,b7 t is %[n1 by a  

prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce1 to be fil$ = !
 purpose ( h>ass+1 intimidat+1 or       
o!rwise suppress+ cov]$ spee* relat$ to 
a matt] ( legitimate public conc]n4     
#dbjb4 ,rule modification  7a7 ,9 g5]al 
,n lat] ?an #c ye>s aft] ! date (       
enactm5t ( ?is *apt]1 ! ,supreme ,c\rt  
%all1 9 accordance ) *apt] #aca ( title 
#bh1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code 7commonly kn[n 
z ! ,rules ,enabl+ ,act71 review !      
,f$]al ,rules ( ,civil ,proc$ure &      
prescribe & modify su* rules z may be   
appropriate to create exp$it$ proc$ures 
= ! disposition ( claims br\ght 9       
violation ( section #dbja7;a74  7b7     
,decl>atory judgm5t ,! rules t are      
prescrib$ or modifi$ 9 accordance )     
subsection 7a7 %all provide t aft] !    
plead+s are fil$ & be=e discov]y        
comm5ces1 a def5dant may move = a       
decl>atory judgm5t reg>d+ :e!r !        
relevant conduct con/itutes1 prima      
facie1 cov]$ spee*4 ,^u su* a           
det]m9ation by a c\rt & a %[+ by !      
movant t discov]y is unlikely to reveal 

any mat]ial fact1 ! c\rt %all proce$ to 
judgm5t on ! plead+s4  #dbjc4 ,no       
preemption ,no?+ 9 ?is *apt] may be     
con/ru$ to preempt any ,/ate law t--    
7#a7 provides = an exp$it$ review or    
proc$ure = dismissal ( suits design$ to 
suppress free spee*2 or  7#b7 requires  
great] int5t ?an neglig5ce = a          
successful defamation claim reg>d+      
natural p]sons :o are n public figures4 
#dbjd4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is *apt]3 7#a7   
,spee* ,! t]m spee* means--  7,a7 oral1 
writt51 or visual communication or      
expressive conduct t is int5d$ to convey
 a p>ticul> idea2 &  7,b7 communication 
or conduct t w\ld be reasonably und]/ood
 by ! int5d$ audi5ce to convey t        
p>ticul> idea4  7#b7 ,cov]$ spee* ,! t]m
 cov]$ spee* means spee*1 9 or affect+  
int]/ate comm]ce1 t is-- 7,a7 und]/ood  
by ! g5]al public to h arti/ic1         
educational1 social1 political1 or      
sci5tific value reg>d+ a legitimate     
matt] ( public conc]n2  7,b7 int5d$ =   
broad consumption2 &  7,c7 made 9 a     

public =um or is o!rwise dissem9at$ to !
 g5]al public or a l>ge relevant        
audi5ce4  7#c7 ,legitimate public conc]n
 ,! t]m legitimate matt] ( public conc]n
 means a subject t is ( int]e/ to !     
g5]al public or a l>ge relevant audi5ce1
 includ+ any ( ! foll[+3 7,a7           
,gov]nm5tal actions or decisions mak+1  
includ+ legislative activity1 judicial  
proce$+s1 or executive conduct or       
actions4  7,b7 ,public or (ficial       
conduct ( a public figure4  7,c7 ,g5]al 
newswor?9ess & curr5t ev5ts4  7,d7      
,public heal? & safety4  7#d7 ,public   
figure ,! t]m public figure means a     
p]son :o--  7,a7 holds a public (fice & 
engages 9 (ficial actions t are (       
int]e/2  7,b7 assumes a role ( especial 
prom95ce 9 ! affairs ( society2  7,c7   
occupies a position ( p]suasive p[] &   
influ5ce2 or  7,d7 ?ru/s oneself to !   
=efront ( p>ticul> controv]sies 9 ord]  
to influ5ce ! resolution ( ! issues     
involv$4  4  7b7 ,table ( *apt]s ,!     
table ( *apt]s = "p ,,vi ( title #bh1   

,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 is am5d$ by ins]t+ 
aft] ! item relat$ to *apt] #aha !      
foll[+3  #ahb ,cov]$ spee*#dbja  4