Senate Bill S160

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings; and repeals section 218 of the judiciary law and section 52 of the civil rights law relating thereto

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Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Judiciary Committee


  • Introduced
    • In Committee Assembly
    • In Committee Senate
    • On Floor Calendar Assembly
    • On Floor Calendar Senate
    • Passed Assembly
    • Passed Senate
  • Delivered to Governor
  • Signed By Governor

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2023-S160 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A712
Current Committee:
Senate Judiciary
Law Section:
Judiciary Law
Laws Affected:
Rpld & add §218, amd §751, Judy L; rpld §52, Civ Rts L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: A1276
2013-2014: A730
2015-2016: A1818
2017-2018: A4934
2019-2020: S5039, A4216
2021-2022: S792, A9592

2023-S160 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings.

2023-S160 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S160 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    160
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Judiciary
 
 AN ACT to amend the judiciary law, in relation to audio-visual  coverage
   of  judicial  proceedings;  and to repeal section 218 of the judiciary
   law and section 52 of the civil rights law relating thereto
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  218  of  the judiciary law is REPEALED and a new
 section 218 is added to read as follows:
   § 218. AUDIO-VISUAL COVERAGE OF JUDICIAL  PROCEEDINGS.  1.    AUTHORI-
 ZATION.  SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE JUDGE OR JUSTICE PRESIDING OVER
 THE PROCEEDING TO EXERCISE  SOUND  DISCRETION  TO  PROHIBIT  FILMING  OR
 PHOTOGRAPHING  OF  PARTICULAR  PARTICIPANTS  IN  JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS TO
 ENSURE SAFETY AND THE FAIR ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE,  AUDIO-VISUAL  AND
 STILL  PHOTOGRAPHY COVERAGE OF PUBLIC JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS IN THE APPEL-
 LATE AND TRIAL COURTS OF THIS STATE SHALL BE ALLOWED IN ACCORDANCE  WITH
 THIS SECTION.
   2.  EQUIPMENT  AND  PERSONNEL. THE FOLLOWING SHALL BE PERMITTED IN ANY
 TRIAL OR APPELLATE COURT PROCEEDING:
   (A) AT LEAST TWO COMPACT VIDEO CAMERAS, EACH OPERATED BY NO MORE  THAN
 ONE CAMERA PERSON. ADDITIONAL PERMITTED CAMERAS SHALL BE WITHIN THE SOLE
 DISCRETION  AND  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  JUDGE OR JUSTICE PRESIDING OVER THE
 PROCEEDING.
   (B) NOT MORE THAN TWO STILL PHOTOGRAPHERS, USING  NOT  MORE  THAN  TWO
 STILL CAMERAS EACH.
   (C)  NOT  MORE  THAN  ONE  AUDIO  SYSTEM FOR RADIO BROADCAST PURPOSES.
 AUDIO PICKUP FOR ALL MEDIA PURPOSES SHALL BE PROVIDED BY EXISTING  AUDIO
 SYSTEMS  PRESENT  IN  THE  COURTROOM.  IF  NO TECHNICALLY SUITABLE AUDIO
 SYSTEM EXISTS IN THE COURTROOM, MICROPHONES AND RELATED WIRING ESSENTIAL
 FOR MEDIA PURPOSES SHALL BE PERMISSIBLE PROVIDED  THEY  ARE  UNOBTRUSIVE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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