MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                                      123

Legislature consider extending protection
to a single or married man as well. It is
believed that this section, in the present
form, tends to discriminate against men who
are not protected in cases where their
chastity is subjected to slanderous words.
The revision should be predicated upon
notion of fair play and equal protection
without sex discrimination in law as
provided by Art. 46 of the Declaration of
Rights.

SEC. 3-502. ACTION BY SINGLE OR MARRIED WOMAN OR
HUSBAND.

(A)   ACTION BY EITHER SINGLE OR MARRIED WOMAN.

A SINGLE OR MARRIED WOMAN WHOSE CHARACTER OR
REPUTATION FOR CHASTITY IS DEFAMED BY ANY PERSON MAY
MAINTAIN AN ACTION AGAINST THAT PERSON.

(B)   ACTION BY HUSBAND.

THE HUSBAND MAY MAINTAIN AN ACTION OF SLANDER
AGAINST ANY PERSON FOR WORDS SPOKEN FALSELY AND
MALICIOUSLY ABOUT HIS WIFE FOR HER CHARACTER OR
REPUTATION FOR CHASTITY BEFORE OR DURING THE MARRIAGE.

REVISOR'S NOTE: This section is new language
derived from Art. 88, §§ 2 and 4.
Subsection (a) contains provisions which
presently appear in Art. 88, §2. Although
Art. 45, §5 and Rule 204 allow a married
woman to sue in her own name, the
provisions are retained as complementary to
the provisions of subsection (b).

SEC. 3-503. LIABILITY OF BROADCASTING STATIONS FOR
DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS OF CANDIDATE FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
AS TO OPPONENT.

AN OWNER, LICENSEE, OR OPERATOR OF A TELEVISION
OR RADIO STATION OR NETWORK OF STATIONS, AND HIS
AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES ARE NOT LIABLE FOR A DEFAMATORY
STATEMENT PUBLISHED OR UTTERED OVER THE FACILITIES OF
THE STATION OR NETWORK OF STATIONS BY A CANDIDATE FOR
PUBLIC OFFICE AS TO HIS OPPONENTS FOR THE OFFICE HE
SEEKS, IF THE PUBLICATION OR UTTERANCE CANNOT BE
CENSORED BY THE OWNER, LICENSEE, OR OPERATOR UNDER ANY
REGULATION OF THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION OR
A FEDERAL STATUTE.