S. 67: Censorship Accountability Act

This bill, known as the Censorship Accountability Act, aims to provide individuals with the ability to take legal action against federal employees if they believe their First Amendment rights have been violated. Here is a breakdown of the key components of the bill:

Short Title

The bill may be referred to as the Censorship Accountability Act.

Right of Action Against Federal Employees

The bill establishes that individuals can hold federal employees accountable if those employees, while acting in their official capacity, infringe on rights protected by the First Amendment. This includes rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of the press.

Definitions

• Federal employee: An individual, excluding the President and Vice President, who works in any agency of the executive branch of the federal government.

Liability

Under the bill:

• If a federal employee causes a citizen or a person under U.S. jurisdiction to lose any First Amendment rights by acting under federal law, they can be sued for compensation.
• However, federal employees cannot sue the federal agency or government for actions they took while performing their job duties.

Attorney's Fees

The bill allows courts to require the losing party to pay the attorney’s fees of the prevailing party in these legal actions, except for cases involving the United States government.

Severability

If any part of the bill is declared unconstitutional, the remaining parts will still remain in effect and enforceable.

Relevant Companies

None found.