Journalists; prohibits a body authority to issue a subpoena to testify regarding any information. (HB2199)
Introduced By
Del. Barbara Comstock (R-McLean)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Journalists as witnesses. Prohibits a body with the authority to issue a subpoena or other compulsory process from compelling a journalist to testify regarding or to produce or disclose in an official proceeding any confidential or nonconfidential information, document, or item obtained or prepared while the person was acting as a journalist or to produce or disclose in an official proceeding the source of any such material. The bill prohibits a subpoena or other compulsory process from compelling the parent, subsidiary, division, or affiliate of a communication service provider or news medium to disclose the information, documents, or items, or the source of such material, that is privileged from disclosure under the provisions of the bill. The bill further authorizes a court, in limited circumstances, to compel a journalist, a journalist's employer, or a person with an independent contract with a journalist to testify regarding or to produce or disclose any information, document, or item or the source of any such material obtained while the person was acting as a journalist. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/12/2011 | Committee |
01/12/2011 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/11 11103686D |
01/12/2011 | Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice |
01/18/2011 | Assigned Courts sub: #2 Civil |
01/26/2011 | Subcommittee recommends passing by with letter |
02/08/2011 | Left in Courts of Justice |
Comments
Although I understand the premise of creating a journalistic privilege, this bill really just creates some highly restrictive evidentiary rules to protect journalists. Some major rewrites will be needed to avoid the unintended consequences of this bill.