Iowa House lawmakers have a proposal to strengthen free speech protections and guard people against strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPP suits.
Under the proposal, people can ask courts to speed up the review of a case to see if it can be thrown out. The court would have to hold a hearing within 60 days, and the losing party could be forced to pay the other side’s court and attorney fees after the review.
Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, says the bill is inspired by a 2017 incident in which a former Carroll police officer tried to sue the local newspaper for reporting on his relationships with teenage girls.
“Even though the newspaper won the lawsuit, it cost him $100,000 and almost put him out of business.”
The bill passed 91- 0. It now moves to the Senate. If passed, Iowa would join more than 30 states with anti-SLAPP laws in place.