Bill > H1504

This bill aims to strengthen the Commonwealth's Anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) law. The key provisions include: 1. Striking the existing Section 59H of Chapter 231 of the General Laws and replacing it with a new section to ensure full participation by citizens and organizations in the robust discussion of issues related to the freedom of petition, speech, and expression or any matter of public concern. 2. Allowing a party whose claims are based on their exercise of these constitutional rights to file a special motion to dismiss, which the court must hear and determine expeditiously. 3. Granting the special motion to dismiss unless the opposing party shows that the moving party's exercise of their rights was devoid of any reasonable factual or legal basis and caused actual injury. 4. Allowing the Attorney General to intervene to defend or support the moving party on the special motion. 5. Staying discovery proceedings upon the filing of the special motion, with limited exceptions. 6. Awarding costs and attorneys' fees to the moving party if the special motion is granted. 7. Defining "freedom of petition, the freedom of speech, the freedom of expression" and "any matter of public concern" to ensure a broad interpretation of these protections. The overall goal is to strengthen protections against lawsuits that aim to chill the exercise of constitutional rights related to public discourse and participation.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H1504