WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced two pieces of bipartisan legislation to allow television cameras in federal courtrooms.
“The judicial branch has a massive impact on our daily lives and the lives of generations to come, yet few Americans get the chance to see our nation’s courts in action,” Grassley said. “Allowing cameras access to the federal and Supreme Courts would boost transparency and help Americans grow in confidence and understanding of the judiciary.”
The Sunshine in the Courtroom Act would grant the presiding judge in all federal courts, including the Supreme Court, the discretion to allow cameras in the courtroom, while protecting the identities of witnesses and jurors. The bill also prohibits media coverage of private conversations and includes a three-year sunset provision, requiring Congress to evaluate the impact of media access on the judiciary.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, co-leads the legislation. Additional cosponsors include Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
Bill text of the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act is available HERE.
The Cameras in the Courtroom Act would specifically instruct the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of open sessions, unless a majority of the Court decides that doing so would violate due process. Open sessions are sessions where members of the public are already invited to observe court proceedings in person.
Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) co-leads the legislation. Additional cosponsors include Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
Bill text of the Cameras in the Courtroom Act is available HERE.
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