defamation actions; sexual offenses

HB4006 - defamation actions; sexual offenses

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Betty J Villegas, Cesar Aguilar, Lorena Austin, Junelle Cavero, Patty Contreras, Quantá Crews, Brian Garcia, Sarah Liguori, Aaron Márquez, Christopher Mathis, Mae Peshlakai, Mariana Sandoval, Stephanie Simacek, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton
Last action: 2026-02-10
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Defamation Actions and Sexual Offenses

HB4006 adds a new section to Arizona's libel and slander laws, prohibiting people accused of sexual offenses from using defamation lawsuits to retaliate against their accusers or others who report the misconduct.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new section, 12-651.01, to Arizona's libel and slander laws.
Prohibits someone accused of sexual offenses like abuse, assault, harassment, or domestic violence from using defamation lawsuits to retaliate against their accusers or others who report the misconduct.
Allows defamation actions if there is clear evidence showing that the accusation is impossible, contradicted by previous statements, or denied by the accuser.

Who It Names or Affects

People accused of sexual offenses
Victims and witnesses reporting sexual misconduct

Terms To Know

Defamation: A false statement that hurts someone's reputation
Factual impossibility: When something is physically or logically impossible to happen as claimed

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if the accused uses defamation actions outside of Arizona.
It's unclear how this law will be enforced in specific cases.

Bill History

2026-02-10 House
House second read
2026-02-09 House
House Rules: None
2026-02-09 House
House Judiciary: None
2026-02-09 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB4006 - defamation actions; sexual offenses

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB4006 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
defamation actions; sexual offenses

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 4006

Introduced by

Representatives
Villegas: Aguilar, Austin, Cavero, Contreras P, Crews, Garcia, Liguori,
M�rquez, Mathis, Peshlakai, Sandoval, Simacek, Stahl Hamilton

AN
ACT

amending title 12, chapter 6, article 6,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 12-651.01; relating to libel
and slander.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 12, chapter 6, article 6,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 12-651.01, to read:

START_STATUTE
12-651.01.

Defamation actions; sexual offenses

A. a person who is accused of sexual
misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment or domestic
violence may not use a defamation action to silence or retaliate against the
accusing person or a staff member or third party reporting the sexual
misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment or domestic
violence, including cases where the alleged perpetrator is publicly named.

b. Defamation actions where an
accuser is publicly named by a person or a staff member or third person
reporting alleged sexual misconduct, sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual
harassment or domestic violence may be brought for cases where cited
documentation and evidence can establish within the initial court filing one or
more of the following:

1. The claimed act in the reported
accusation was a factual impossibility for the accused to have perpetrated.

2. The accuser has been impeached in
a courtroom proceeding regarding the same alleged facts as in the present
reported accusation.

3. The accuser has publicly made
contrary statements involving relevant, material facts regarding the present
reported incident.

4. The accuser has publicly stated
that the present reported incident did not occur.
END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.
Short title

This act may be cited as the
"Right to Speak Your Truth Act".