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HB 911GEORGIASession 2025_26State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Georgia House Bill 911 Bars Defamation Lawsuits for Good-Faith Reports of Sexual Misconduct

Original title: Torts; prohibit individuals from bringing defamation actions against another individual who makes a communication regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination; provisions

Last action · January 12, 2026: House Second ReadersSponsors: Terry Cummings and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

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What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 911 prohibits individuals from filing lawsuits against anyone who reports an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination, provided the speaker reasonably believed the incident occurred and acted . The measure also allows a in such a lawsuit to recover reasonable attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs.

Why it matters

This bill alters legal protections by shielding individuals from liability for when reporting sexual misconduct in good faith, while penalizing plaintiffs who bring prohibited suits by forcing them to pay the defendant's legal fees and costs.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Individuals reporting sexual misconduct

They are granted immunity from defamation lawsuits when reporting sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination with a reasonable belief and without malice.

Directly affected

Defendants in defamation litigation

Prevailing defendants in prohibited defamation suits are entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs.

Key Facts

Prohibits individuals from bringing defamation actions under Chapter 5 of Title 51 against anyone who communicates about an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination without malice and with a reasonable belief that it occurred.
Entitles a prevailing defendant in a prohibited defamation action to recover reasonable attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs.
Applies specifically to communications concerning sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination.
Requires that the communicating individual must not have acted with malice and must have held a reasonable belief at the time of the communication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I be sued for defamation if I report an incident of sexual harassment?

Under House Bill 911, an individual cannot bring a action against someone who makes a communication regarding an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination, provided the speaker made the statement and had a reasonable belief that the incident occurred.

What happens if someone files a prohibited defamation lawsuit against me for reporting sexual misconduct?

If you are a in an action brought in violation of this new code section, you are entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees, expenses of litigation, and costs.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · introduced in the House.

Procedural history

3 actions

Jan 12, 2026House
House Second Readers
Apr 4, 2025HouseIntroduced
House First Readers
Apr 2, 2025HouseIntroduced
House Hopper

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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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.

Connected Entities

General Assembly of Georgia, Chapter 5 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of Georgia“The legislative body enacting the bill.”Map →

otherChapter 5 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated“The section of the Georgia Code relating to libel and slander being amended.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.legis.ga.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
Controversy65
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level

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