HB 667 Florida House · 2025 Regular Session

Liability for Defamatory Statements

Summary

Liability for Defamatory Statements; Requires that certain articles or broadcasts be removed from specified websites within specified period to limit damages for defamation; provides persons in certain positions relating to newspapers with immunity for defamation if such persons exercise due care to prevent publication of defamatory statement.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2025 Last action Jun 16, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

H 667 Filed → H 667 c1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to expand its scope from just newspapers and broadcast stations to include websites and online publications. The changes clarify that defamatory content must be removed from any website under the publisher's control, not just the general Internet. The bill also adds specific timeframes for corrections based on publication frequency and includes additional language about the statute of limitations for online defamation cases.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from traditional media (newspapers and broadcast stations) to include websites and online publications under the publisher's control.

SCOPE

Changed the requirement for removing defamatory content from 'the Internet' to 'any website over which the newspaper, broadcaster, or periodical has control' to clarify that publishers are only responsible for content on sites they control.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific timeframes for corrections based on publication frequency (10 days for daily/weekly, 20 days for semimonthly, 45 days for monthly, or next issue for less frequent publications).

ELIGIBILITY

Modified Section 770.02 to amend both subsections (1) and (2) of the statute, expanding the scope of correction requirements.

TECHNICAL

Added language clarifying that the 20-year statute of limitations applies to defamation cases involving online publications.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary Committee

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

Favorable with CS by Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Added to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee agenda

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Now in Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Judiciary Committee

lower

Feb 26, 2025

Committee

Referred to Civil Justice & Claims Subcommittee

lower

1 primary · 4 co-sponsors