Press Release | Office of State Rep. Kara Hope

LANSING, Mich., Oct. 22, 2025 — Today, the Michigan House passed House Bill 4045, sponsored by state Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt), to create the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act. The legislation would allow courts to swiftly dismiss meritless strategic litigation against public participants (“SLAPP”) lawsuits — retaliatory legal claims intended to silence, intimidate or punish individuals for exercising their First Amendment rights.

 

“SLAPP lawsuits undermine the very core of our First Amendment freedoms — the rights of speech, expression, and association,” Hope said. “These cases are not about justice; they are about silencing critics and chilling free expression. My legislation will ensure our courts cannot be misused to intimidate Michiganders, protecting their right to speak out without fear of costly, baseless litigation.”

Hope has long championed this issue, first introducing anti-SLAPP legislation in 2020. In the last legislative term, her updated bill passed the House with strong bipartisan support, 100–8. Today, HB 4045 earned even broader backing, passing unanimously, 103–0.

“Michigan remains one of only 12 states without an anti-SLAPP law. That must change. A free society depends on citizens being able to hold the powerful accountable without fear of retaliation. By enacting this law, Michigan will affirm its commitment to free expression, to civic participation, and to a justice system that serves as a guardian of rights, not as a weapon against them,” Hope stated.

SLAPP lawsuits are costly and are often brought by wealthy, powerful plaintiffs against defendants with fewer resources. Defending against them can cost individuals thousands of dollars. This bill would also protect and empower survivors of violence who want to come forward and seek justice, who are too often silenced by the threat of SLAPP suits.

“SLAPP lawsuits are an affront to the First Amendment rights of Michiganders; they silence free speech, stifle political debate, and intimidate those who seek to hold powerful individuals and corporations accountable. By enacting anti-SLAPP protections in HB 4045, we ensure that every person in Michigan can speak out on matters of public concern without fear of retaliatory legal action. Representative Hope is helping Michigan take an essential step toward safeguarding our democracy and upholding the fundamental right to petition our government for redress through her legislation,” said Gabrielle Dresner, Policy Strategist at the ACLU of Michigan.

The bill now heads to the Michigan Senate for consideration.

###