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S 829 109th Congress Senate Law Administration of justice Appellate courts Arts, Culture, Religion Civil procedure Court reporting Crime and Law Enforcement Criminal procedure District courts Government Operations and Politics Judges Photography Radio broadcasting Science, Technology, Communications Sound recording and reproducing Supreme Court Television broadcasting Video tape recording Witnesses

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005

Introduced: April 18, 2005 Introduced by: Grassley, Chuck Republican · Iowa See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 7 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 30, 2006
Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Mar 30, 2006
Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Specter without amendment. Without written report.
Mar 30, 2006
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 383.
Nov 9, 2005
Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 109-331.
Apr 18, 2005
Introduced in Senate
Apr 18, 2005
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S3823)
Apr 18, 2005
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3822-3823)
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005 - 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 March 30, 2006

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 383.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 2422 Related bill To allow media coverage of court proceedings.
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 2 Republican 2
R
Cornyn, John
Texas · Apr 18, 2005
 D
Durbin, Richard J.
Illinois · Apr 18, 2005
 R
Graham, Lindsey
South Carolina · Apr 18, 2005
 D
Schumer, Charles E.
New York · Apr 18, 2005
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 829: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-829/
MLA
"S. 829: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-829/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 829, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-829/.
Markdown link
[S. 829: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-S-829/)
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