Van Zant Bill to Protect Floridians from Libel Tourism Passes House
Bill Shields Floridians from Libel Suits Filed by Terrorists, Other Foreigners

by Rep. Charles Van Zant
Florida House of Representatives Press Release
April 17, 2009

https://www.legal-project.org/293/van-zant-bill-to-protect-floridians-from-libel

Excerpt:

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Representative Charles E. Van Zant (R-Keystone Heights) lauded the unanimous passage of House Bill (HB) 949 by the Florida House of Representatives. The measure relates to grounds for non-recognition of foreign defamation judgments. This legislation closely resembles a similar law that was passed nearly a year ago by the New York Legislature.   

HB 949, like the law passed in New York, will help in the fight against a tactic known as "Libel Tourism" which results from defamation lawsuits filed against authors critical of individuals with known ties to terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and Hamas.  The lawsuits have been finding their way into foreign courts.  HB 949 will provide Florida courts with the ability not to recognize a foreign judgment, if that country's laws protecting free speech and the free press are not at least as protective as freedoms provided in the constitutions of Florida and United States.  

Read the complete original version of this item...

receive the latest by email: subscribe to the legal project's free mailing list