Christian broadcast group urges House to drop defamation bill

A national group of Christian broadcasters is asking lawmakers not to pass legislation that would make it easier to sue journalists and news outlets for defamation.

Michael Farris, general counsel for National Religious Broadcasters, wrote a letter to House Speaker Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, on Monday asking him to drop HB 757. He called the bill “deeply flawed legislation” that could lead to the ruin of many Christian stations.

“While the bill’s authors may have well-meaning intentions, the practical impact of the legislation will result in a cottage industry of well-funded trial lawyers weaponizing the libel law’s provisions to silence voices their funders disagree with,” Farris wrote. “Christian radio and television stations lacking the financial means to defend themselves in court will be left to decide between proactively avoiding topics of public debate or facing litigation that could result in a station’s bankruptcy.”

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican. It would create a presumption in law that if a news outlet published a false statement by an anonymous source, they were acting with “actual malice” — the standard of proof required in a defamation lawsuit. It also would set up “veracity hearings” to hear evidence when a defamation lawsuit is brought. Critics contend it will erode anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) protections and lead to a gut of lawsuits that will chill speech.

The veracity hearings concern Farris as well.

“The expedited nature of this process empowers the well-funded and handcuffs those with fewer financial means,” Farris wrote. “Family-owned Christian broadcast stations, as well as many nonprofit stations, will be left sifting through their transcripts and recordings in search of a defense, while well-organized special interest groups and their army of attorneys pounce.”

The bill is scheduled for its last hearing Wednesday in the House Judiciary Committee before heading to the House floor. The Senate version of the bill (SB 1780) has one more committee stop before heading to the floor in that chamber. The Regular Session is slated to end March 8.