HB 441 — Regards the one-year limitations period for libel or slander

As ReportedPassed by the House Judiciary Committee 136th General Assembly Regular Session Am.

Cosponsor:Cosponsors:

RepresentativeRepresentatives WilliamsWilliams, Bird, Brennan, Gross, Hall, T., Odioso, Peterson, Rogers, Sigrist, Thomas, C., White, A., Willis, Young To amend section 2305.11 of the Revised Code to 1 increase the limitations period from one year to 2 four years for libel or slander and provide that 3 for purposes of the four-year limitations period 4 for libel or slander, the cause of action starts 5 from publication of the libelous matter or when 6 the slanderous words were spoken, regardless of 7 when the aggrieved party discovered the libelous 8 matter or slanderous words.

(A) An action for libel, slander, malicious 12 prosecution, or false imprisonment, an action for malpractice 13 other than an action upon a medical, dental, optometric, or 14 chiropractic claim, an action for legal malpractice against an 15 attorney or a law firm or legal professional association, or an 16 action upon a statute for a penalty or forfeiture shall be 17 commenced within one year after the cause of action accrued, 18 provided that an action by an employee for the payment of unpaid 19 minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated 20 Am.

441 Page 2 As ReportedPassed by the House Judiciaryminimum Committeewages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated 20 damages by reason of the nonpayment of minimum wages or overtime 21 compensation shall be commenced within two years after the cause 22 of action accrued.

38 (C) A civil action for unlawful abortion pursuant to 39 section 2919.12 of the Revised Code, a civil action authorized 40 by division (H) of section 2317.56 of the Revised Code, a civil 41 action pursuant to division (B) of section 2307.52 of the 42 Revised Code for terminating or attempting to terminate a human 43 pregnancy after viability in violation of division (A) of 44 section 2919.17 of the Revised Code, and a civil action for 45 terminating or attempting to terminate a human pregnancy of a 46 pain-capable unborn child in violation of division (E) of 47 section 2919.201 of the Revised Code shall be commenced within 48 one year after the performance or inducement of the abortion or 49 within one year after the attempt to perform or induce the 50 Am.

441 Page 3 As ReportedPassed by the House Judiciarywithin Committeeone year after the attempt to perform or induce the 50 abortion in violation of division (A) of section 2919.17 of the 51 Revised Code or division (E) of section 2919.201 of the Revised 52 Code.