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HR 917 113th Congress House

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013

Official title: To provide for media coverage of Federal court proceedings.

Introduced: February 28, 2013 See on congress.gov
Law Broadcasting, cable, digital technologiesEvidence and witnessesFederal appellate courtsFederal district courts
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Judicial procedure and administrationPhotography and imagingSound recordingSupreme CourtTelevision and film
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This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 3, 2014
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Apr 8, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, And The Internet.
Feb 28, 2013
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 28, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action December 3, 2014

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court (including the Supreme 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, except when such action would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party.

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 for purposes of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising the witness; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request.

Authorizes the Judicial Conference to promulgate mandatory guidelines with respect to the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act.

Terminates a district court's authority under this Act three years after enactment of this Act.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 405 Related bill Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 2
D
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts · Dec 2, 2013
Chaffetz, Jason
· Feb 28, 2013
 D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Feb 28, 2013
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-917/
MLA
"H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-917/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 917, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-917/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2013](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-917/)
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