Codifies United States Supreme Court ruling that in defamation suit, public official must prove defendant had actual malice: knowledge that defendant's statement was false or reckless disregard of whether it was false.

This bill codifies the U.S. Supreme Court's standard from *New York Times Co. v. Sullivan* for defamation lawsuits brought by public officials. It requires public officials to prove a statement was both false and made with "actual malice" (knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard for truth) to win a lawsuit about their official conduct. Truth of the statement is established as an absolute defense against such claims. The law directly affects public officials who pursue defamation cases and ensures the existing legal standard is formally written into New Jersey law.