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Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio HB 441 extends the civil lawsuit filing deadline for libel or slander from one year to four years
Last action · June 10, 2026: Referred to JudiciarySponsors: Brian Stewart and 2 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio House Bill 441 extends the time limit for filing a civil lawsuit for or from one year to four years. Under the measure, the filing window begins immediately on the date the material is published or the words are spoken, regardless of when the injured party discovers them.
The measure quadruples the duration plaintiffs have to initiate defamation litigation in Ohio courts while simultaneously starting the countdown clock on the exact date of publication or speech instead of the date of discovery.
- Under prior Ohio law, civil actions for libel or slander were required to be commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Plaintiffs filing libel or slander claims
Plaintiffs receive a longer four-year window to file suit, but the limitations period starts on the date of publication or speech regardless of when they discover the statement.
Defendants in libel or slander lawsuits
Defendants face a potential four-year exposure window for defamation claims instead of one year, though each publication creates a distinct limitations period.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the four-year clock start ticking for a libel claim?
Does discovering a defamatory statement later extend the filing deadline?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
6 actions- Jun 10, 2026SenateCommitteeReferred to Judiciary
- Jun 4, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced
- Jun 3, 2026HouseCommitteeReported - Amended (Judiciary)
- Jun 3, 2026HouseFloorPassed
- Sep 15, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Judiciary
- Sep 9, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced
Version history & redline
3 versions on fileVoting Record
Re-referred
Total
93
- Yes
- 63
- No
- 30
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (11)
Show 1 earlier roll call
Favorable Passage
Total
12
- Yes
- 12
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 0
- Abstain
- 0
How they voted (10)
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Elimination of Discovery Rule for Defamation
While extending the overall limitations period to four years, the text explicitly ties the start of the clock to the date of publication or spoken words, overriding discovery-based delays.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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