On July 13th, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed into law SB1067, the “Uniform Public Expression Act”, a measure providing Missourians with stronger protections against strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP suits) that are designed to prevent an individual or organization from exercising their First Amendment rights.
Prior to the enactment of this new law, Missouri’s anti-SLAPP law was narrow in scope, applying only to conduct or speech at public hearings. Nationally, Missouri’s law was previously ranked as one of the weakest, and as the Missouri Press Association noted: “For small publishers, this weakness translated directly into self-censorship.”
The News/Media Alliance commends Governor Kehoe and bill sponsors Senator Mike Henderson and Representative Ben Keathley for their leadership as Missouri adopts the UPEPA model statute to protect free speech.
Momentum for the UPEPA state model is strong across state legislatures, regardless of political affiliation. South Dakota became the 40th state to adopt Anti-SLAPP provisions when it adopted a UPEPA model bill in March 2026, joining Iowa, Michigan and Montana, all states that enacted measures in 2025.
NMA will continue to work with state press associations and state legislators across the country to protect free expression, civic engagement, and the freedom of the press.
