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H.R. 917 114th Congress House

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015

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

Introduced: March 10, 2015 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 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 16, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Feb 12, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 12, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 16, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015

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 2
  • S 783 Related bill Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015
  • HR 3723 Related bill Eyes on the Courts Act of 2015
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 2
All 2 Democratic 1
D
Lynch, Stephen F.
Massachusetts · Mar 10, 2015
Chaffetz, Jason
· Feb 12, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-917/
MLA
"H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-917/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 917, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-917/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 917: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-917/)
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