Codifies United States Supreme Court ruling that in defamation suit, public official must prove defendant had actual malice: knowledge that defendant's statement was false or reckless disregard of whether it was false.

This bill (A5262) codifies the U.S. Supreme Court standard from *New York Times Co. v. Sullivan* (1964) for defamation lawsuits involving public officials. It requires public officials to prove a defendant acted with "actual malice" - knowing a statement was false or showing reckless disregard for its truth - to win a defamation suit about their official conduct. Truth of the statement is established as an absolute defense, preventing recovery. The law directly affects public officials (elected or appointed to government roles) who file such lawsuits in New Jersey, raising the legal bar for them to obtain damages.