SPRINGFIELD, IL (Chambana Today) — Governor JB Pritzker signed a new law Thursday that strengthens protections for journalists across Illinois, aiming to shield them from retaliatory lawsuits and ensure freedom of the press remains intact amid escalating political hostility.
Senate Bill 1181 expands the Citizen Participation Act by explicitly including journalists and news organizations under its protections. The law now safeguards the media’s right to “opine, report, or investigate matters of public concern,” and offers defense against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) — lawsuits often used to intimidate or silence critics through costly legal battles.
“This law will strengthen our anti-SLAPP legislation in Illinois — ensuring press don’t have to fear retaliation for reporting the truth,” Pritzker said during the bill signing. “As Trump and his friends continue their frivolous and targeted attacks on members of the free press, we are working to protect and empower Illinois journalists as they keep the general public informed.”
The move follows a trend of increased legal pressure on journalists, including a rise in defamation and SLAPP suits during former President Donald Trump’s administration. While the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1964 ruling in New York Times v. Sullivan set a strong precedent for press protections, anti-SLAPP laws are handled at the state level — and Illinois is now among 39 states with such legislation.
Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton echoed Pritzker’s concerns, framing the bill as a defense against political weaponization of the courts.
“Our democracy cannot function without a free press,” Stratton said. “With this law, the Pritzker-Stratton administration is fighting back against those who would use retribution to silence journalists into submission.”
The law takes effect immediately, making Illinois one of several states taking recent action to bolster legal protections for the media. Ten other states have amended or improved their anti-SLAPP laws in just the last two years.
