Safeguarding Honest Speech Act

Bill: 118-hr-6432
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Ogles, Andrew [R-TN-5]
Introduced: 2023-11-15
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Latest action: action_date: 2023-11-15
text: Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 6432 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES November 15, 2023 Mr. Ogles (for himself, Ms. Boebert , Mr. LaMalfa , Mrs. Miller of Illinois , Mr. Biggs , Mr. Harris , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Weber of Texas , Mr. Crane , Mr. Norman , Mr. Clyde , Mr. Higgins of Louisiana , Mr. Collins , Mr. Rosendale , and Mr. Duncan ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability A BILL To prohibit the use of funds to implement, administer, or enforce measures requiring certain employees to refer to an individual by the preferred pronouns of such individual or a name other than the legal name of such individual, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safeguarding Honest Speech Act . 2. No Federal funds for compelled language (a) In general Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no funds may be used for the purpose of implementing, administering, or enforcing any rule, policy, guidance, recommendation, or memoranda requiring an employee or contractor of any Federal agency or Department to use— (1) another person’s preferred pronouns if they are incompatible with such a person’s sex; or (2) a name other than a person’s legal name when referring to such a person. (b) Enforcement (1) In general All Federal agencies and Departments shall ensure that, not later than 30 days following a written notice from any employee or contractor regarding an alleged violation of subsection (a), a formal response to the notice is issued to the employee or contractor. (2) Private right of action In the case that the formal response in subsection (a) does not represent a satisfactory outcome for a federal employee or contractor, any employee or contractor aggrieved by a violation of subsection (a) may commence a civil action against the Federal agency or Department responsible for the alleged violation. (3) Relief In any action under this subsection, the court may award appropriate relief, including— (A) temporary, preliminary, or permanent injunctive relief; (B) compensatory damages; (C) punitive or exemplary damages, which may not exceed $100,000; and (D) reasonable fees for attorneys. (4) Statute of limitations An action under this subsection shall be brought not later than one year after the date on which the alleged violation of subsection (a) occurred. (c) Definitions In this section: (1) Sex The term sex means sex recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth. (2) Person The term person means an individual.