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URGE GOV. STITT TO VETO HB 1236

HB 1236 is a harmful bill that directly targets our right to free speech in Oklahoma. It's important that we ask Gov. Stitt to stand up against the bullying tactics of billionaires and big corporations by vetoing HB 1236.

Oklahoma has a law called the Oklahoma Citizens Protection Act that has been in place for years. It protects Oklahomans from unfair and frivolous lawsuits that try to silence our political opinions. This is the statute the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA) has relied on to defend ourselves for the past three years against the frivolous legal actions taken against us by Paycom Payroll, LLC.

But now, HB 1236 threatens to weaken these important protections. It is supported by powerful special interests who want to make it easier for them to undermine free speech. Under current Oklahoma law, a defendant sued for defamation who wins a motion to dismiss asserting a First Amendment privilege is entitled to costs, attorney fees, and a sanction “sufficient to deter the party who brought the legal action.” But if HB 1236 becomes law, it weakens the very protections that were put in place to defend our right to speak out.

Please contact Gov. Stitt and urge him to veto HB 1236. Let him know that you believe in protecting free speech and that you don't want a few wealthy individuals and corporations to have the power to silence you.