HOUSE BILL 930

 

Unofficial Copy                                    2004 Regular Session

D3                                                           4lr0220

HB 113/03 - JUD                                   CF 4lr2322

 

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By: Delegates Rosenberg, Bobo, Carter, McIntosh, Oaks, and Zirkin

Introduced and read first time: February 11, 2004

Assigned to: Judiciary

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Committee Report: Favorable

House action: Adopted

Read second time: March 16, 2004

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CHAPTER_______

 

   1  AN ACT concerning

 

   2                                                           Qualified Immunity from Civil Liability - SLAPP Suits

 

   3  FOR the purpose of granting qualified immunity from civil liability to a defendant in

   4           a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP suit) who, when

   5                  communicating with a government body or the public at large, without

   6                  constitutional malice, exercises rights under the First Amendment of the U.S.

   7                  Constitution or certain articles of the Maryland Declaration of Rights regarding

   8           certain matters; describing certain elements of a SLAPP suit; allowing a

   9                  defendant in a SLAPP suit to move to dismiss the alleged SLAPP suit and

  10          requiring the court to hold a hearing on the motion as soon as practicable;

  11          allowing a defendant to file a motion to stay all court proceedings until the

  12                  underlying matter about which the defendant communicated is resolved;

  13          making this Act applicable to SLAPP suits notwithstanding any other law or

  14          rule; providing that this Act does not diminish any equitable or legal right or

  15          remedy otherwise available to a defendant; defining a certain term; providing

  16          for the application of this Act; and generally relating to strategic lawsuits

  17          against public participation (SLAPP suits) and immunity from civil liability in

  18          those lawsuits.

 

  19  BY adding to

  20          Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

  21                  Section 5-807

  22                  Annotated Code of Maryland

  23          (2002 Replacement Volume and 2003 Supplement)

 

  24                  SECTION 1.  BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF

  25  MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:


 

2                                                                                              HOUSE BILL 930

 

   1                                                           Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

 

   2  5-807.

 

   3           (A)                IN THIS SECTION, "SLAPP SUIT" MEANS A STRATEGIC LAWSUIT AGAINST

   4  PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

 

   5           (B)                A LAWSUIT IS A SLAPP SUIT IF IT IS:

 

   6                           (1)                BROUGHT IN BAD FAITH AGAINST A PARTY WHO HAS

   7  COMMUNICATED WITH A FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODY OR THE

   8  PUBLIC AT LARGE TO REPORT ON, COMMENT ON, RULE ON, CHALLENGE, OPPOSE, OR

   9  IN ANY OTHER WAY EXERCISE RIGHTS UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE U.S.

  10  CONSTITUTION OR ARTICLE 10, ARTICLE 13, OR ARTICLE 40 OF THE MARYLAND

  11  DECLARATION OF RIGHTS REGARDING ANY MATTER WITHIN THE AUTHORITY OF A

  12  GOVERNMENT BODY;

 

  13                          (2)                MATERIALLY RELATED TO THE DEFENDANT'S COMMUNICATION;

  14  AND

 

  15                          (3)                INTENDED TO INHIBIT THE EXERCISE OF RIGHTS UNDER THE FIRST

  16  AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION OR ARTICLE 10, ARTICLE 13, OR ARTICLE 40

  17  OF THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

 

  18          (C)                A DEFENDANT IN A SLAPP SUIT IS NOT CIVILLY LIABLE FOR

  19  COMMUNICATING WITH A FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODY OR THE

  20  PUBLIC AT LARGE, IF THE DEFENDANT, WITHOUT CONSTITUTIONAL MALICE,

  21  REPORTS ON, COMMENTS ON, RULES ON, CHALLENGES, OPPOSES, OR IN ANY OTHER

  22  WAY EXERCISES RIGHTS UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

  23  OR ARTICLE 10, ARTICLE 13, OR ARTICLE 40 OF THE MARYLAND DECLARATION OF

  24  RIGHTS REGARDING ANY MATTER WITHIN THE AUTHORITY OF A GOVERNMENT

  25  BODY.

 

  26          (D)                A DEFENDANT IN AN ALLEGED SLAPP SUIT MAY MOVE TO:

 

  27                          (1)                DISMISS THE ALLEGED SLAPP SUIT, IN WHICH CASE THE COURT

  28  SHALL HOLD A HEARING ON THE MOTION TO DISMISS AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE; OR

 

  29                          (2)                STAY ALL COURT PROCEEDINGS UNTIL THE MATTER ABOUT WHICH

  30  THE DEFENDANT COMMUNICATED TO THE GOVERNMENT BODY OR THE PUBLIC AT

  31  LARGE IS RESOLVED.

 

  32          (E)                THIS SECTION:

 

  33                          (1)                IS APPLICABLE TO SLAPP SUITS NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER

  34  LAW OR RULE; AND

 

  35                          (2)                DOES NOT DIMINISH ANY EQUITABLE OR LEGAL RIGHT OR REMEDY

  36  OTHERWISE AVAILABLE TO A DEFENDANT IN A SLAPP SUIT.


 

3                                                                                              HOUSE BILL 930

 

   1                  SECTION  2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be

   2  construed to apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have

   3  any effect on or application to any cause of action arising before the effective date of

   4  this Act.

 

   5                  SECTION  3.  AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take

   6  effect October 1, 2004.