My opinion of the best bill that State Rep. Jack Franks ever passed was his anti-SLAPP law.
SLAPP stands for “strategic lawsuit against public participation.”
Prompting Franks was a suit against opponents of a massive development in Richmond.
The purpose of such suits is to bleed opponents to an action through the cost of hiring lawyers, which occurred in Richmond.
Franks passed the legislation.
Since then the Illinois Supreme Court limited its application, resulting in legislation this year to return its impact to a more robust state.
Prompting this post is one from “Unleash Prosperity Hotline #1260” in which it is noted other states are enacting similar laws.
The Hotline explains,
“These are frivolous suits meant to silence opponents, debate, or dissent. SLAPPs come in many forms – claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, nuisance. But winning the case isn’t really their goal. The point is to put the defendants through expensive and painful defenses. Even when these cases fail in court, as most do, the plaintiffs keep the heat on and the falsely accused are left with expensive legal bills.
“Thankfully, a quiet revolution to crack down on SLAPPs is taking place in state legislatures. This month, Iowa’s legislature passed a new law allowing courts to more rapidly dismiss SLAPP suits within 60 days of being filed. At least 37 states – including some blue states like California and Oregon – have put anti-SLAPP laws on the books, almost all in the last five years.”
