S 4282 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Creates the anti-SLAPP act

This bill creates a legal shield against lawsuits designed to silence public speech, directly affecting activists, journalists, and citizens engaged in public debates who face baseless legal claims. It requires courts to pause evidence gathering (discovery) while deciding if a case qualifies as a "SLAPP" (a lawsuit meant to intimidate critics), and mandates faster hearings within 60-90 days of a motion being filed. If a court dismisses such a case, it may order the losing party to pay the other side’s legal fees. The law applies to lawsuits involving public participation, such as protests or criticism of government actions, aiming to protect free speech rights.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Kevin Parker
Kevin Parker
DDemocratic/Working Families
NY
21