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119-hr-10783119th Congress

Speak Your Truth Act

Sponsored By: Representative Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a federal remedy that lets a prevailing defendant recover attorneys' fees and costs in defamation or libel cases about statements on sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination. The bill defines covered "communications" as factual, non‑malicious statements about sexual misconduct, workplace harassment or discrimination, retaliation, and certain housing authority misconduct, and it caps fee awards to the fees tied to the specific claim while allowing judges to limit awards for exceptional circumstances.

Show full summary
  • Survivors and other speakers: People who share factual, non‑malicious accounts of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination could recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs if they are sued for defamation and prevail; those fees would be paid by the plaintiff.
  • Plaintiffs who bring defamation suits: Losing plaintiffs could be required to pay the defendant's legal costs, but awards cannot exceed the fees attributable to the specific position or claim and judges may reduce awards for unusual circumstances.
  • Courts: Judges get a statutory standard for fee awards and discretion to limit fees when payment would be unjust, shaping how defamation claims tied to misconduct allegations are handled.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Defendants could recover legal fees

If enacted, a defendant who prevails in a defamation or libel case filed in or removed to federal court would be able to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs from the plaintiff. This would apply only when the communication is factual, made without malice, and concerns sexual assault, sexual harassment, workplace harassment or discrimination (including related retaliation), or harassment or discrimination by a housing-authority owner. Awards could not exceed the reasonable fees and costs tied to the particular claim, and a judge could reduce the award if exceptional, unusual, or special circumstances would make payment unjust. The provision would take effect upon enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1]

SC • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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