59 Law Professors Write to Congress Asking for National Anti-SLAPP Law

By Eric Goldman
Forbes Magazine Contributor

H.R. 2304, nicknamed the “SPEAK FREE Act of 2015,” would create a new federal anti-SLAPP law. Substantively, the SPEAK FREE Act would have two main effects. First, the law would apply anti-SLAPP protection across the nation, extending the protections to the 20+ states that haven’t yet enacted an anti-SLAPP law. Second, the law would newly apply anti-SLAPP protections to federal claims in federal court, something that state anti-SLAPP laws can’t do. The bill has garnered substantial bipartisan cosponsorship, which makes sense. Free speech isn’t a partisan issue; it affects everyone.

Today, on behalf of myself and 58 other law professors and legal scholars, I sent a short letter to several Congressional leaders expressing support for the SPEAK FREE Act. Signatories came from all over the country, as indicated by this map:

I encourage you to take a closer look at our letter, the SPEAK FREE Act, and the potential benefits of federal anti-SLAPP laws. Then, I hope you’ll share your views with your Congressmembers.

Note: I’m a board member of the Public Participation Project, an organization advocating for a federal anti-SLAPP law.