2008 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 421<br /> – Public participatn, lawsuit against

HOUSE BILL NO. 421

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Bill Status



H0421..............................................................by CLARK
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION - LAWSUIT - Adds to existing law to provide procedures
involving strategic lawsuits against public participation; to provide for a
motion to dismiss; to provide procedures; and to provide exceptions.

01/25    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/28    Rpt prt - to Jud

Bill Text




                                                                       
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2008

                                                                       

                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 421

                                          BY CLARK

  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO ACTIONS IN PARTICULAR CASES; AMENDING TITLE 6, IDAHO CODE, BY  THE
  3        ADDITION  OF  A  NEW  CHAPTER 27, TITLE 6, IDAHO CODE, TO DEFINE TERMS, TO
  4        PROVIDE PROCEDURES INVOLVING STRATEGIC LAWSUITS AGAINST PUBLIC  PARTICIPA-
  5        TION,  TO  PROVIDE FOR A MOTION TO DISMISS, TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES, TO PRO-
  6        VIDE FOR THE AWARD OF COSTS AND ATTORNEY'S FEES AND TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS.

  7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:

  8        SECTION 1.  That Title 6, Idaho Code, be, and the same is  hereby  amended
  9    by  the addition thereto of a NEW CHAPTER, to be known and designated as Chap-
 10    ter 27, Title 6, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:

 11                                      CHAPTER 27
 12              SPECIAL ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS BY INDIVIDUAL PERSONS --
 13                          EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT OF PETITION

 14        6-2701.  DEFINITIONS.  In  this  chapter,  unless  the  context  otherwise
 15    requires:
 16        (1)  "Exercise of the right of petition" means any written or oral  state-
 17    ment  that  falls within the constitutional protection of free speech and that
 18    is made as part of an initiative, referendum or recall effort or that  is  all
 19    of the following:
 20        (a)  Made  before  or  submitted to a legislative or executive body or any
 21        other governmental proceeding.
 22        (b)  Made in connection with an  issue  that  is  under  consideration  or
 23        review  by  a legislative or executive body or any other governmental pro-
 24        ceeding.
 25        (c)  Made for the purpose of influencing a governmental  action,  decision
 26        or result.
 27        (2)  "Governmental proceeding" means any proceeding, other than a judicial
 28    proceeding,  by  an  officer, official or body of this state and any political
 29    subdivision of this state, including boards and commissions, or by an officer,
 30    official or body of the federal government.
 31        (3)  "Legal action" means any action, claim, cross-claim  or  counterclaim
 32    for  damages  that  is based on the defendant's exercise of the right of peti-
 33    tion.

 34        6-2702.  STRATEGIC LAWSUITS AGAINST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION -- MOTION TO DIS-
 35    MISS. (1) In any legal action that involves a party's exercise of the right of
 36    petition, the defending party may file a motion to dismiss  the  action  under
 37    this  section.  When  possible, the court shall give calendar preference to an
 38    action that is brought under this subsection and shall  conduct  an  expedited
 39    hearing  after the motion is filed with the court and notice of the motion has
 40    been served as provided by court rule.
 41        (2)  The court shall grant the motion unless the party  against  whom  the

                                       2

  1    motion is made shows that the moving party's exercise of the right of petition
  2    did  not  contain  any reasonable factual support or any arguable basis in law
  3    and that the moving party's acts  caused  actual  compensable  injury  to  the
  4    responding  party.  In  making its determination, the court shall consider the
  5    pleadings and supporting and opposing affidavits stating facts  on  which  the
  6    liability  or  defense is based. At the request of the moving party, the court
  7    shall make findings whether the lawsuit was brought to deter  or  prevent  the
  8    moving  party from exercising constitutional rights and is thereby brought for
  9    an improper purpose, including to harass or  to  cause  unnecessary  delay  or
 10    needless  increase in the cost of litigation. If the court finds that the law-
 11    suit was brought to deter or prevent the exercise of constitutional rights  or
 12    otherwise  brought  for an improper purpose, the moving party is encouraged to
 13    pursue additional sanctions as provided by court rule.
 14        (3)  The motion to dismiss may be filed within ninety (90) days after  the
 15    service  of  the complaint or, in the court's discretion, at any later time on
 16    terms that the court deems proper.
 17        (4)  If the court grants the motion to dismiss, the court shall award  the
 18    moving  party  costs  and reasonable attorney's fees, including those incurred
 19    for the motion. If the court finds that a motion to dismiss  is  frivolous  or
 20    solely  intended  to  delay, the court shall award costs and reasonable attor-
 21    ney's fees to the prevailing party on the motion. For  the  purposes  of  this
 22    subsection, "costs" means all costs that are reasonably incurred in connection
 23    with  a  motion  to dismiss pursuant to this section and includes filing fees,
 24    record preparation and  document  copying  fees,  documented  time  away  from
 25    employment  to  confer with counsel or attend case related proceedings, expert
 26    witness fees, travel expenses and any other costs that the court deems  appro-
 27    priate.
 28        (5)  This chapter does not:
 29        (a)  Affect, limit or preclude the right of the moving party to any remedy
 30        otherwise authorized by law.
 31        (b)  Apply  to  an  enforcement action that is brought in the name of this
 32        state or a political subdivision of this state.
 33        (c)  Create any privileges or immunities or  otherwise  affect,  limit  or
 34        preclude any privileges or immunities authorized by law.
 35        (d)  Limit  or preclude a legislative or executive body or a public agency
 36        from enforcing the rules of procedure and rules of order of  the  body  or
 37        agency.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 17608

This bill adds a new Chapter 27, Title 6, Idaho Code, to define
terms and to provide procedures involving strategic lawsuits
against public participation.  It provides for a motion to dismiss,
provides for the award of costs and attorney's fees and provides
exceptions.  These strategic lawsuits against public participation
are designed to stifle legitimate and constitutionally protected
free speech.  Twenty-five states currently have some form of
legislation against strategic lawsuits against public
participation.  Those states include Washington, Oregon, Nevada,
Utah and California. 



                           FISCAL NOTE
None.



Contact
Name: Representative Jim Clark 
Phone: 332-1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                         H 421