Number: 1997-10
WHEREAS, constitutional rights to freedom of speech and to petition government for a redress of grievances are critical for allowing citizens to engage in responsible debate about ecological and human health threats in their communities; and
WHEREAS, Strategic Litigation Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are lawsuits intended to harass or intimidate into silence citizens who speak out against potentially harmful development or practices; and
WHEREAS, defending against SLAPPs can cause unquantifiable, but significant financial, social, and emotional stress on SLAPP defendants; and
WHEREAS, SLAPP suits against certain citizens or organizations can cause a “chilling effect” on activism by citizens and organizations who are not defendants in a SLAPP suit, but who are active in issues of ecological or social importance in neighboring communities, states, or regions; and
WHEREAS, anti-SLAPP legislation has been enacted in California, Delaware, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington state; and
WHEREAS, the National Wildlife Federation and its affiliates are critically concerned with protecting the integrity of safeguards for individuals and organizations to engage in responsible debate about issues concerning the conservation of wildlife and other natural resources while protecting the Earth’s environment;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation in its Annual meeting assembled April 3-6, 1997 in Tucson, Arizona, supports federal legislative efforts to protect citizens and organizations against SLAPP suits provided that such efforts preserve more stringent, anti-SLAPP suit state legislation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation and its affiliates encourage appropriate state legislation to protect citizens and organizations against SLAPP suits.