This bill introduces a new section, 507:15-c, to the existing law that prohibits retaliatory defamation against victims who report incidents of sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment, or domestic abuse. Specifically, it prevents individuals accused by a victim from filing defamation lawsuits against that victim, except under certain conditions. These conditions require the plaintiff to provide specific factual evidence that either the alleged act was impossible for them to have committed or that the victim has publicly stated that the incident did not occur. The bill also defines key terms such as "report" and "victim" to clarify the scope of the law.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that if a victim prevails in a retaliatory defamation case, they are entitled to recover court costs, reasonable attorney fees, and may also receive punitive damages along with treble compensatory damages. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and is expected to have a minimal fiscal impact of less than $10,000 in each fiscal year from 2026 to 2028.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 507:15