HARRISBURG, PA — Eight months after the PA Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of his bill to stop corporations from filing lawsuits against people or groups just to quiet them, state Sen. Larry Farnese on March 4 said he is pleased to hear that Philadelphia City Council is supporting the idea and urging the legislature to finish the job.

Farnese said, “My anti-SLAPP proposal will help every community in Pennsylvania that wants to ensure true First Amendment protections for their residents. Corporations and well-heeled organizations should not be allowed to violate the constitutional rights of private citizens and groups who voice their opposition to them but cannot afford to fight them in court.”

The Senate adopted Farnese’s SB 95 on a 48-1 vote on June 30, 2015. The bill is now before the House Judiciary Committee, where it has been since July 6.

SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit against Public Participation. If it becomes law, it would set up a motion to dismiss that would allow for an expedited response in the courts to quickly determine if a lawsuit is frivolous, or a SLAPP. It would also trigger a “loser pays” clause if it is decided a lawsuit was baseless.