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 1964 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" (knowing it was false or showing reckless disregard for truth) to win a lawsuit. Truthful statements automatically block any lawsuit. This applies specifically to statements about a public official's official duties, affecting elected and appointed government workers like mayors, council members, and agency heads.