• by Ray Schultz , June 10, 2024

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota has signed a bill to protect journalists against meritless lawsuits that would interfere with their First Amendment rights. 

HG 5216 is one of several state anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) laws to take throughout the country, according to News/Media Alliance, which hailed the bill. 

Recently, the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed an anti-SLAPP bill, SB 237, based on the Uniform Law Commission’s Public Expression Protection Act.  

Okalahoma has a law called the Oklahoma Citizens Participation Act (OCPA), which goes beyond what some might imagine. 

“Contrary to common belief, the OCPA extends beyond defamation claims and offers a robust defense in various disputes, including claims alleging breach of contract or business interference,” writes the law firm of McAffee & Taft. 

How did anti-SLAPP bills originate?

When New York State passed its anti-SLAPP law in 1992, the “apparent focus was on real estate developers who, in an effort to quiet those who opposed their developments, brought baseless suits against their opponents, causing them to incur legal fees and annoyance for having spoken out against the developer’s plans,” according to the firm of Norton Rose Fullbright. 

However, several amendments were later added, broadening the law. 

In Europe, the European Parliament recently adopted an Anti-SLAPP directive requiring that EU member states enact anti-SLAPP legislation in their own countries.