California Anti-SLAPP Project


1997 Regular Session
By Rep. Richard Raymond
H.B. No. 1319

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to civil actions involving persons who file complaints with governmental agencies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended by adding Chapter 137 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 137. CIVIL ACTIONS INVOLVING PERSONS MAKING COMPLAINTS WITH GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES

Sec. 137.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Bad faith" with respect to a claim made the basis of a suit governed by this chapter means a claim that is:

(A) groundless; or

(B) brought for the purpose of:

(i) harassing or intimidating a complainant; or

(ii) obtaining the withdrawal of a complaint.

(2) "Complainant" means a person or entity who makes a complaint or who communicates information relevant to a complaint.

(3) "Complaint" means a written or oral statement, report, or other communication made to or kept by a governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity.

(4) "Exemplary damages" has the meaning assigned by Chapter 41.

(5) "Good faith" with respect to a claim made the basis of a suit governed by this chapter means that at the time the complaint was filed or intended to be filed the complainant had:

(A) any reasonable basis in fact for making the complaint; and

(B) any reasonable basis to believe that the governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity to which the complaint was made had authority or jurisdiction to receivethe complaint.

(6) "Governmental agency" means:

(A) this state, another state of the United States, or the United States;

(B) any court, institution, agency, political subdivision, or organ of government established by the constitution or laws of this state, of another state of the United States, or of the United States, including a department, bureau, board, commission, office,or council; or

(C) a law enforcement agency.

(7) "Groundless" means:

(A) no basis in fact; or

(B) not warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law.

(8) "Harassing conduct" means conduct intended or reasonably calculated to threaten, intimidate, coerce, or mislead a complainant through the use or threat of:

(A) physical force against a person or property;

(B) injury or damage to a person's personal or business reputation;

(C) invasion of a person's right to privacy;

(D) a tortious or injurious act intended or likely to cause economic damage or severe emotional distress to a person;

(E) communication of information relevant to a complaint known by the person communicating the information to be false at the time it was communicated; or

(F) an act in violation of the constitution or a penal law of this state, another state of the United States, or the United States.

(9) "Quasi-governmental entity" means a person who, under law or under a formal or informal request by, agreement with, delegation of authority by, or rule adopted by a governmental agency:

(A) receives or reviews complaints for the agency; or

(B) performs a function of the agency.

Sec. 137.002. APPLICABILITY; VENUE; REMOVAL. (a) This chapter applies only to a claim made a basis of a suit filed:

(1) against a complainant by or on behalf of a person who may be adversely affected by the filing of the complaint and that alleges that the contents of or the filing of the complaint constitutes a basis for relief, including a claim alleging that the contents of the complaint constitute libel or slander; or

(2) by or on behalf of a complainant that alleges conduct giving rise to liability under Section 137.004.

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(1), this chapter does not apply to a claim if:

(1) the complaint is not a public record available for review under law by a member of the public who is not affected by the complaint and the complainant communicated the contents of the complaint to a person other than to the governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity that initially received or reviewed the complaint; or

(2) the complainant is an employee or former employee of the person who is the subject of the complaint.

(c) This chapter does not create or authorize a cause of action against a governmental agency or governmental unit as that term is defined by Section 101.001. Notwithstanding Chapter 104, the state is not liable for indemnification of a person for damages arising under this chapter.

(d) A claim governed by this chapter shall be brought:

(1) in the county of the complainant's residence if the complainant is a natural person;

(2) in the county in which the complainant's principal office is located if the complainant is not a natural person; or

(3) in the county in which the complaint was made, if the complainant is a natural person who is not a resident of this state or if the complainant is not a natural person and does not have an office in this state.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law, on motion of the complainant, a claim governed by this chapter that is brought in a court other than a district court may be removed to a district court in which venue is authorized under Subsection (d).

Sec. 137.003. NO LIABILITY FOR GOOD FAITH COMPLAINT. (a) A complainant is not liable for monetary damages arising from the complaint or subject to injunctive or declaratory relief with respect to the complaint if the complaint is made in good faith.

(b) There is a rebuttable presumption that a complaint is made in good faith.

(c) A complainant may establish the elements of good faith by demonstrating that:

(1) a reasonably prudent person, under the same or similar circumstances, could have believed that a reasonable basis in fact existed for making the complaint; and

(2) a reasonably prudent person, under the same or similar circumstances, could have believed that the governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity to which the complaint was made had authority or jurisdiction to receive or review the complaint.

(d) A person asserting a claim described by Section 137.002(a)(1) shall, as a condition precedent to stating a cause of action for which relief may be granted, have the burden of pleading with particularity all material facts that the person contends establish the right to recovery, including all facts supporting the contention that the complainant did not act in good faith. Each fact asserted in the pleading must be verified by affidavit made on personal knowledge unless the truth of the fact appears of record.

(e) The court shall, on motion by the complainant or on the court's own motion, review the pleadings to determine compliance with Subsection (d).

Sec. 137.004. LIABILITY FOR HARASSING CONDUCT; EXEMPLARY DAMAGES AUTHORIZED. (a) A person is liable for damages to a complainant and is subject to injunctive or declaratory relief if the complainant demonstrates by a preponderance of the evidence that:

(1) the complainant made or intended to make a complaint in good faith;

(2) the person committed or caused to be committed harassing conduct against the complainant; and

(3) the harassing conduct was committed to:

(A) obtain the withdrawal of the complaint;

(B) prevent or limit the complainant's participation in a formal or informal investigation or proceeding by a governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity arising from or relating to the complaint;

(C) prevent the filing of the complaint; or

(D) retaliate for the complaint.

(b) If the finder of fact determines that a complainant has demonstrated facts proving liability under Subsection (a), judgment may be entered awarding the complainant:

(1) actual damages;

(2) attorney's fees and costs under Section 137.007; and

(3) notwithstanding Chapter 41, exemplary damages in an amount equal to five times the amount of attorney's fees and costs awarded under Section 137.007.

Sec. 137.005. BAD FAITH CLAIMS; EXEMPLARY DAMAGES AUTHORIZED. (a) If the finder of fact determines that a claim described by Section 137.002(a)(1) was brought in bad faith, judgment may be entered awarding the complainant:

(1) actual damages;

(2) attorney's fees and costs under Section 137.007; and

(3) notwithstanding Chapter 41, exemplary damages in an amount equal to five times the amount of attorney's fees and costs awarded under Section 137.007.

(b) A person against whom judgment is entered under this section and the person's attorney are jointly and severally liable for damages awarded under this section.

Sec. 137.006. SUMMARY JUDGMENT; EXPEDITED HEARING TO DETERMINE BAD FAITH CLAIM. (a) The court shall promptly grant summary judgment with respect to a claim if:

(1) the complainant demonstrates that a complaint was made in good faith under Section 137.003(c); or

(2) the pleadings fail to allege:

(A) a cause of action against the complainant for which relief may be granted; or

(B) facts sufficient to rebut the presumption that the complaint was filed in good faith.

(b) On motion of the complainant, a court that grants summary judgment under Subsection (a) shall promptly hold a hearing to determine whether the claim was brought in bad faith.

(c) A complainant must file the motion for an expedited hearing under Subsection (b) not later than the 30th day after the date on which the order granting summary judgment is signed. On request of a party, the hearing shall be before a jury. The Texas Rules of Civil Procedure apply to the selection of the jury, the court's charge to the jury, and all other aspects of the proceedings.

(d) On motion of the complainant in a case involving three or more parties, the court shall sever the claims as necessary to allow relief granted under Subsection (a) or Section 137.005 to become immediately final and appealable.

Sec. 137.007. ATTORNEY'S FEES. A complainant shall be entitled to recover costs of court and reasonable and necessary attorney's fees if judgment is entered holding:

(1) a complaint made the basis of a suit under Section 137.002(a)(1) was filed in good faith; or

(2) a person is liable to the complainant under Section 137.004.

Sec. 137.008. PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE. (a) If judgment is entered against an attorney under Section 137.005(b), the attorney is subject to professional discipline for professional misconduct under Subchapter E, Chapter 81, Government Code, and to suspension or disbarment for dishonorable conduct under Section 82.062, Government Code.

(b) The court shall promptly report a judgment described by Subsection (a) to an appropriate grievance committee under Chapter 81, Government Code, or under a similar law in the jurisdiction in which the attorney resides or is licensed.

(c) A report under Subsection (b) must contain:

(1) the name of the attorney against whom judgment was entered;

(2) the jury verdict or findings of fact by the court; and

(3) the judgment.

Sec. 137.009. CERTAIN ORDERS PROHIBITED. Notwithstanding Chapters 21 through 30, Government Code, a state court may not issue a temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, permanent injunction, or other order prohibiting a complainant from communicating with a governmental agency or quasi-governmental entity concerning the subject matter of a claim governed by this chapter.

SECTION 2. This Act applies only to a claim described by Section 137.002, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as added by this Act, filed on or after the effective date of this Act. A claim filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law applicable to the claim immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.


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