Bill > HB4006

This bill, titled the "Right to Speak Your Truth Act," amends Arizona law to protect individuals who report sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or domestic violence from being silenced or retaliated against through defamation lawsuits. Defamation, in this context, refers to making false statements that harm someone's reputation, often through libel (written) or slander (spoken) words. The bill establishes that a person accused of such offenses cannot use a defamation action to retaliate against the accuser, or any staff member or third party who reports these allegations, even if the accused is publicly named. However, defamation actions can still be brought if the accuser is publicly named and the initial court filing can establish that the alleged act was factually impossible for the accused to have committed, the accuser has been discredited in court regarding the same facts, the accuser has made contradictory public statements about the incident, or the accuser has publicly stated the incident did not happen.

Justice

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85517