---
title: HB 911. Torts; prohibit individuals from bringing defamation actions against another individual who makes a communication regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination; provisions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb911
cite_as: HB 911, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb911
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb911.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb911/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71994
date: 2026-01-12
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb910.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb912.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb911.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 911
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-04-02
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Terry Cummings
- Sylvia Baker
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB911/2025
upstream_id: 2019417
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- defamation law
- sexual assault reporting
- sexual harassment
- discrimination
- tort law
---
# HB 911. Torts; prohibit individuals from bringing defamation actions against another individual who makes a communication regarding an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination; provisions
## Text
House Bill 911
By: Representative Cummings of the 39th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 5 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia, relating to libel and slander,
so as to prohibit individuals from bringing defamation actions against another individual who
makes a communication regarding an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex
discrimination when that individual believed such incident to have occurred; to provide for
attorney's fees and costs for a prevailing defendant; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 5 of Title 51 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to libel and slander,
is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"51-5-13.
(a) An individual shall not bring an action pursuant to this chapter against another
individual who makes a communication without malice regarding an incident of sexual
assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination if, at the time of making the
communication, the communicating individual has a reasonable belief that sexual assault,
sexual harassment, or sex discrimination occurred.
(b) A prevailing defendant in an action brought in violation of subsection (a) of this Code
section is entitled to recover reasonable attorney's fees, expenses of litigation, and costs."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would bar defamation lawsuits against people who report sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination if they reasonably believed the incident happened, and would let winning defendants recover attorney's fees.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, someone who speaks or writes about an incident of sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination could potentially face a defamation lawsuit from the person they accused, even if they believed their account was true. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's libel and slander law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 51-5) that would block such lawsuits in certain cases.
Specifically, a person could not sue another individual for defamation over a statement about sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination if that statement was made without malice and the speaker reasonably believed the incident occurred. If someone files a defamation suit anyway and loses, the bill entitles the winning defendant to recover their attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and court costs. The bill does not set an effective date beyond the standard process, and it repeals any conflicting laws.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 51-5-13) shielding individuals from defamation lawsuits over statements about sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination made without malice and with reasonable belief the incident occurred.
- Limits the protection to communications made without malice, meaning the speaker did not act with hatred, ill will, or intent to harm.
- Requires the speaker to have had a reasonable belief, at the time of the statement, that the incident actually happened for the protection to apply.
- Allows a defendant who successfully defends against a defamation suit under this new rule to recover reasonable attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and court costs from the person who sued them.
- Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new provision.
### Who it affects
People who report or speak about sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination and the individuals they accuse; anyone considering filing a defamation lawsuit over such statements; and Georgia courts and attorneys handling defamation claims involving these topics.
### Why it matters
People who report sexual assault, harassment, or discrimination based on a reasonable belief would gain new legal protection from defamation lawsuits, and could recover legal costs if sued anyway. Those accused would face a higher bar before they could sue over such statements.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 creates new Code section 51-5-13, prohibiting defamation suits over communications about sexual assault, sexual harassment, or sex discrimination made without malice and with a reasonable belief the incident occurred.
- Subsection (a) sets the two-part standard for protection: no malice and a reasonable belief the incident happened at the time of the statement.
- Subsection (b) grants a prevailing defendant in a suit that violates subsection (a) the right to recover reasonable attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-04-02)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-12)
- Sponsors: Terry Cummings, Sylvia Baker
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71994
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb911.md?full=1