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S 986 107th Congress Senate Law Administration of justice Appellate courts Arts, Culture, Religion Civil procedure Court reporting Crime and Law Enforcement Crime and the press Criminal procedure District courts Government Operations and Politics Judges Photography Radio broadcasting Science, Technology, Communications Sound recording and reproducing Supreme Court Television broadcasting Video tapes in courtroom proceedings Witnesses

A bill to allow media coverage of court proceedings.

Introduced: June 5, 2001 Introduced by: Grassley, Chuck Republican · Iowa See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 107th Congress ended
It never became law before the 107th Congress (2001–2002) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 29, 2001
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 241.
Nov 29, 2001
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.
Nov 29, 2001
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Jun 5, 2001
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S5837)
Jun 5, 2001
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S5836-5837)
Jun 5, 2001
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides.

Directs: (1) a district court, upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, to order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of his or her right to make such request.

Authorizes the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate advisory guidelines to which a presiding judge may refer in making decisions regarding the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act.

What's happening now November 29, 2001

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 241.

 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 3
D
Cantwell, Maria
Washington · Nov 28, 2001
 D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Jun 18, 2001
 D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Jun 5, 2001
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 986: A bill to allow media coverage of court proceedings.. 107th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/107-S-986/
MLA
"S. 986: A bill to allow media coverage of court proceedings.." 107th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/107-S-986/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 986, 107th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/107-S-986/.
Markdown link
[S. 986: A bill to allow media coverage of court proceedings.](https://openamerica.io/bill/107-S-986/)
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