Bill > HB441

This bill amends Ohio's legal statute regarding the limitations period for libel and slander lawsuits by clarifying when the one-year time limit for filing such legal claims begins. Specifically, the bill establishes that for libel cases, the one-year limitations period starts from the date of publication of the allegedly libelous material, regardless of when the person who was harmed first discovered or became aware of the publication. Similarly, for slander cases, the one-year period begins from the date the allegedly slanderous words were spoken, again irrespective of when the aggrieved party became aware of those words. The bill also introduces a provision that each publication of libelous material creates a new limitations period, which could potentially allow multiple lawsuits if the same material is republished. This change is significant because it removes any discretion related to when a person "reasonably" should have known about the libel or slander, instead setting a strict and clear timeline based on the actual date of publication or spoken words. The amendment ensures a more straightforward and predictable legal process for handling defamation claims in Ohio.

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https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb441