Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0991 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to defamation, false light, and 2
16	16	unauthorized publication of name or likenesses; 3
17	17	amending s. 90.5015, F.S.; providing that provisions 4
18	18	concerning journalist's privilege do not apply to 5
19	19	defamation claims when the defendant is a professional 6
20	20	journalist or media entity; amending s. 770.05, F.S.; 7
21	21	defining the term "defamation or privacy tort"; 8
22	22	revising provisions concerning venue for certain 9
23	23	actions; amending s. 770.08, F.S.; revising provisions 10
24	24	limiting the choice of venue in specified actions; 11
25	25	creating s. 770.09, F.S.; exempting certain claims 12
26	26	from specified provisions concerning offers of 13
27	27	judgment and demands for judgment in civil actions; 14
28	28	providing for award of attorney fees and costs to 15
29	29	prevailing plaintiffs in such actions; creating s. 16
30	30	770.105, F.S.; specifying that certain persons may not 17
31	31	be considered public figures for purposes of certain 18
32	32	actions; creating s. 770.11, F.S.; specifying that a 19
33	33	fact finder may infer actual malice in certain 20
34	34	circumstances; providing that certain allegations are 21
35	35	defamatory per se; providing statutory damages to 22
36	36	prevailing plaintiffs who are the subject of such 23
37	37	allegations; creating s. 770.12, F.S.; creating a 24
38	38	presumption that a statement by an anonymous source is 25
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47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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51	51	presumptively false for purposes of a defamation 26
52	52	action; providing requirements if a defendant in a 27
53	53	defamation action refuses to identify an anonymous 28
54	54	source; creating s. 770.13, F.S.; providing that a 29
55	55	public figure does not need to show actual malice to 30
56	56	prevail in a defamation action in certain 31
57	57	circumstances; creating s. 770.15, F.S.; providing 32
58	58	that a person who gives publicity to a matter 33
59	59	concerning a natural person that places that person 34
60	60	before the public in a false light may be liable for 35
61	61	damages in certain circumstances; amending s. 720.304, 36
62	62	F.S.; revising a provision on award of attorney fees 37
63	63	in certain actions by property owners; amending s. 38
64	64	768.295, F.S.; revising a provision on award of 39
65	65	attorney fees in strategic lawsuits against public 40
66	66	participation; providing for severability; providing 41
67	67	an effective date. 42
68	68	43
69	69	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 44
70	70	45
71	71	Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 90.5015, 46
72	72	Florida Statutes, to read: 47
73	73	90.5015 Journalist's privilege. — 48
74	74	(9) This section does not apply to defamation claims 49
75	75	brought under chapter 770 when the defendant is a professional 50
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84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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88	88	journalist or media entity. 51
89	89	Section 2. Section 770.05, Florida Statutes, is amended to 52
90	90	read: 53
91	91	770.05 Limitation of choice of venue. — 54
92	92	(1) As used in this chapter, the term "defamation or 55
93	93	privacy tort" refers to libel, slander, false light, invasion of 56
94	94	privacy, or any other tort founded upon any single publication, 57
95	95	exhibition, or utterance, such as any one edition of a 58
96	96	newspaper, book, or magazine, any one presentation to an 59
97	97	audience, any one br oadcast over radio or television, any one 60
98	98	exhibition of a motion picture, or any one publication, 61
99	99	exhibition, or utterance on the Internet. Editing any form of 62
100	100	media so that it attributes something false or leads a 63
101	101	reasonable viewer to believe something fa lse about a plaintiff 64
102	102	may give rise to a defamation claim or privacy tort. 65
103	103	(2) A No person may not shall have more than one choice of 66
104	104	venue for damages for any defamation or privacy tort libel or 67
105	105	slander, invasion of privacy, or any other tort founded up on any 68
106	106	single publication, exhibition, or utterance, such as any one 69
107	107	edition of a newspaper, book, or magazine, any one presentation 70
108	108	to an audience, any one broadcast over radio or television, or 71
109	109	any one exhibition of a motion picture . Recovery in any acti on 72
110	110	shall include all damages for any such tort suffered by the 73
111	111	plaintiff in all jurisdictions. 74
112	112	(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, 75
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121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125	125	or any other statute providing for venue, when: 76
126	126	(a) Damages for defamation are based on material pub lished 77
127	127	through the radio or television, venue is proper in any county 78
128	128	where the material was accessed. 79
129	129	(b) Damages for defamation are based on material published 80
130	130	through the Internet, venue is proper in any county in the 81
131	131	state. 82
132	132	Section 3. Section 770 .08, Florida Statutes, is amended to 83
133	133	read: 84
134	134	770.08 Limitation on venue recovery of damages.—Except as 85
135	135	provided in s. 770.05(3)(a), a No person may not shall have more 86
136	136	than one choice of venue for any defamation or privacy tort 87
137	137	damages for libel founded upon a single publication or 88
138	138	exhibition or utterance, as described in s. 770.05 ., and Upon 89
139	139	his or her election in any one of his or her choices of venue, 90
140	140	then the person shall be bound to recover there all damages 91
141	141	allowed him or her. 92
142	142	Section 4. Section 770.09, Florida Statutes, is created to 93
143	143	read: 94
144	144	770.09 Application of costs and attorney fees in 95
145	145	defamation cases.—The fee-shifting provisions of s. 768.79 do 96
146	146	not apply to defamation or privacy tort claims. Notwithstanding 97
147	147	any other provision of law, a pre vailing plaintiff on a 98
148	148	defamation or privacy tort claim is entitled to an award of 99
149	149	reasonable costs and attorney fees. 100
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158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162	162	Section 5. Section 770.105, Florida Statutes, is created 101
163	163	to read: 102
164	164	770.105 Limitations on judicial determination of a public 103
165	165	figure.—A person may not be considered a public figure for 104
166	166	purposes of establishing a defamation or privacy tort claim if 105
167	167	his or her fame or notoriety arises solely from one or more of 106
168	168	the following: 107
169	169	(1) Defending him or herself publicly against accusations. 108
170	170	(2) Granting an interview on a specific topic. 109
171	171	(3) Public employment other than elected office or 110
172	172	appointment by an elected official. 111
173	173	(4) A video, image, or statement uploaded on the Internet 112
174	174	that has reached a broad audience. 113
175	175	Section 6. Section 7 70.11, Florida Statutes, is created to 114
176	176	read: 115
177	177	770.11 Clarifying defamation standards. — 116
178	178	(1) A fact finder shall infer actual malice for purposes 117
179	179	of a defamation action when: 118
180	180	(a) The defamatory allegation is fabricated by the 119
181	181	defendant, is the product o f his or her imagination, or is based 120
182	182	wholly on an unverified anonymous report; 121
183	183	(b) An allegation is so inherently implausible that only a 122
184	184	reckless person would have put it into circulation; or 123
185	185	(c) There are obvious reasons to doubt the veracity of the 124
186	186	defamatory allegation or the accuracy of an informant's reports. 125
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195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199	199	There are obvious reasons to doubt the veracity of a report 126
200	200	when: 127
201	201	1. There is sufficient contrary evidence that was known to 128
202	202	or should have been known to the defendant after a reasonable 129
203	203	investigation; or 130
204	204	2. The report is inherently improbable or implausible on 131
205	205	its face; or 132
206	206	(d) The defendant willfully failed to validate, 133
207	207	corroborate, or otherwise verify the defamatory allegatio n. 134
208	208	(2) An allegation that the plaintiff has discriminated 135
209	209	against another person or group because of their race, sex, 136
210	210	sexual orientation, or gender identity constitutes defamation 137
211	211	per se. 138
212	212	(a) A defendant cannot prove the truth of an allegation of 139
213	213	discrimination with respect to sexual orientation or gender 140
214	214	identity by citing a plaintiff's constitutionally protected 141
215	215	religious expression or beliefs. 142
216	216	(b) A defendant cannot prove the truth of an allegation of 143
217	217	discrimination with respect to sexual orientati on or gender 144
218	218	identity by citing a plaintiff's scientific beliefs. 145
219	219	(c) A prevailing plaintiff for allegations under this 146
220	220	subsection is, in addition to all other damages, entitled to 147
221	221	statutory damages of at least $35,000. 148
222	222	Section 7. Section 770.12, Flo rida Statutes, is created to 149
223	223	read: 150
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232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236	236	770.12 Presumption regarding anonymous sources .— 151
237	237	(1) A statement by an anonymous source is presumptively 152
238	238	false for purposes of a defamation action. 153
239	239	(2) In a case where a defendant in a defamation action 154
240	240	refuses to identify the source of a defamatory statement, the 155
241	241	plaintiff need only prove that the defendant acted negligently 156
242	242	in making the defamatory statement. 157
243	243	Section 8. Section 770.13, Florida Statutes, is created to 158
244	244	read: 159
245	245	770.13 Actual malice for public figu res in defamation 160
246	246	cases.-A public figure does not need to show actual malice to 161
247	247	prevail in a defamation cause of action when the allegation does 162
248	248	not relate to the reason for his or her public status. 163
249	249	Section 9. Section 770.15, Florida Statutes, is crea ted to 164
250	250	read: 165
251	251	770.15 Invasion of privacy; place person before public in 166
252	252	false light.— 167
253	253	(1) Any person who gives publicity to a matter concerning 168
254	254	a natural person that places that person before the public in a 169
255	255	false light is subject to liability if: 170
256	256	(a) The false light in which the person was placed would 171
257	257	be highly offensive to a reasonable person; and 172
258	258	(b) The defendant had knowledge of or acted in reckless 173
259	259	disregard as to the false implications of the publicized matter. 174
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268	268	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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272	272	(2) This section incorporates the standards set forth 175
273	273	under chapter 770 for defamation causes of action to whatever 176
274	274	extent necessary. 177
275	275	(3) Editing any form of media so that it attributes 178
276	276	something false or leads a reasonable viewer to believe 179
277	277	something false about a plaintiff may give rise to a defamation 180
278	278	claim for false light. 181
279	279	Section 10. Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section 182
280	280	720.304, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 183
281	281	720.304 Right of owners to peaceably assemble; display of 184
282	282	flag; SLAPP suits prohibited. — 185
283	283	(4) It is the intent of the Legislature to protect the 186
284	284	right of parcel owners to exercise their rights to instruct 187
285	285	their representatives and petition for redress of grievances 188
286	286	before the various governmental entities of this state as 189
287	287	protected by the First Amendment to the United States 190
288	288	Constitution and s. 5, Art. I of the State Constitution. The 191
289	289	Legislature recognizes that "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public 192
290	290	Participation" or "SLAPP" suits, as they are typically called, 193
291	291	have occurred when members are sued by individua ls, business 194
292	292	entities, or governmental entities arising out of a parcel 195
293	293	owner's appearance and presentation before a governmental entity 196
294	294	on matters related to the homeowners' association. However, it 197
295	295	is the public policy of this state that government entit ies, 198
296	296	business organizations, and individuals not engage in SLAPP 199
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305	305	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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309	309	suits because such actions are inconsistent with the right of 200
310	310	parcel owners to participate in the state's institutions of 201
311	311	government. Therefore, the Legislature finds and declares that 202
312	312	prohibiting such lawsuits by governmental entities, business 203
313	313	entities, and individuals against parcel owners who address 204
314	314	matters concerning their homeowners' association will preserve 205
315	315	this fundamental state policy, preserve the constitutional 206
316	316	rights of parcel owners, and assure the continuation of 207
317	317	representative government in this state. It is the intent of the 208
318	318	Legislature that such lawsuits be expeditiously disposed of by 209
319	319	the courts. 210
320	320	(c) A parcel owner sued by a governmental entity, business 211
321	321	organization, or individual in violation of this section has a 212
322	322	right to an expeditious resolution of a claim that the suit is 213
323	323	in violation of this section. A parcel owner may petition the 214
324	324	court for an order dismissing the action or granting final 215
325	325	judgment in favor of that p arcel owner. The petitioner may file 216
326	326	a motion for summary judgment, together with supplemental 217
327	327	affidavits, seeking a determination that the governmental 218
328	328	entity's, business organization's, or individual's lawsuit has 219
329	329	been brought in violation of this sectio n. The governmental 220
330	330	entity, business organization, or individual shall thereafter 221
331	331	file its response and any supplemental affidavits. As soon as 222
332	332	practicable, the court shall set a hearing on the petitioner's 223
333	333	motion, which shall be held at the earliest possi ble time after 224
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342	342	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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346	346	the filing of the governmental entity's, business organization's 225
347	347	or individual's response. The court may award the parcel owner 226
348	348	sued by the governmental entity, business organization, or 227
349	349	individual actual damages arising from the governmenta l 228
350	350	entity's, individual's, or business organization's violation of 229
351	351	this section. A court may treble the damages awarded to a 230
352	352	prevailing parcel owner and shall state the basis for the treble 231
353	353	damages award in its judgment. The court shall award the 232
354	354	nonmoving prevailing party reasonable attorney attorney's fees 233
355	355	and costs incurred in connection with a claim that an action was 234
356	356	filed in violation of this section if the nonmoving party 235
357	357	prevails on a motion filed under this section . 236
358	358	Section 11. Subsection (4) of section 768.295, Florida 237
359	359	Statutes, is amended to read: 238
360	360	768.295 Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation 239
361	361	(SLAPP) prohibited.— 240
362	362	(4) A person or entity sued by a governmental entity or 241
363	363	another person in violation of this section has a right to an 242
364	364	expeditious resolution of a claim that the suit is in violation 243
365	365	of this section. A person or entity may move the court for an 244
366	366	order dismissing the action or granting final judgment in favor 245
367	367	of that person or entity. The person or entity may file a motion 246
368	368	for summary judgment, together with supplemental affidavits, 247
369	369	seeking a determination that the claimant's or governmental 248
370	370	entity's lawsuit has been brought in violation of this section. 249
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379	379	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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383	383	The claimant or governmental entity shall thereafter file a 250
384	384	response and any supplemental affidavits. As soon as 251
385	385	practicable, the court shall set a hearing on the motion, which 252
386	386	shall be held at the earliest possible time after the filing of 253
387	387	the claimant's or governmental entity's response. The court may 254
388	388	award, subject to the li mitations in s. 768.28, the party sued 255
389	389	by a governmental entity actual damages arising from a 256
390	390	governmental entity's violation of this section. The court shall 257
391	391	award the nonmoving prevailing party reasonable attorney fees 258
392	392	and costs incurred in connection wi th a claim that an action was 259
393	393	filed in violation of this section if the nonmoving party 260
394	394	prevails on a motion filed under this section . 261
395	395	Section 12. If any provision of this act or the 262
396	396	application thereof to any person or circumstance is held 263
397	397	invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or 264
398	398	applications of this act which can be given effect without the 265
399	399	invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions 266
400	400	of this act are severable. 267
401	401	Section 13. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 268