Assembly Bill A4216

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Authorizes the use of audio-visual equipment in courtrooms; repealer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Assembly 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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2019-A4216 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S5039
Current Committee:
Assembly Judiciary
Law Section:
Judiciary Law
Laws Affected:
Rpld & add §218, Judy L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2011-2012: A1276
2013-2014: A730
2015-2016: A1818
2017-2018: A4934
2021-2022: A9592, S792
2023-2024: A712, S160

2019-A4216 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Authorizes an experimental program in which presiding trial judges, in their discretion, may permit audio-visual coverage of civil and criminal court proceedings, including trials.

2019-A4216 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4216
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 1, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL,
   GALEF, QUART, WRIGHT -- read once and referred  to  the  Committee  on
   Judiciary
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  judiciary  law,  in  relation  to  audio-visual
   recordings in the courtroom; to repeal section 218 of such law  relat-
   ing  thereto;  and  providing  for  the repeal of such provisions upon
   expiration thereof
 
   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  Section  218  of  the judiciary law is REPEALED and a new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.    NOTWITHSTANDING  THE  PROVISIONS  OF SECTION FIFTY-TWO OF THE
 CIVIL RIGHTS LAW AND SUBJECT TO THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE
 CHIEF JUDGE OF THE COURT OF APPEALS OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE MAY AUTHORIZE
 AN  EXPERIMENTAL  PROGRAM  IN  WHICH  PRESIDING  TRIAL  JUDGES, IN THEIR
 DISCRETION, MAY PERMIT AUDIO-VISUAL COVERAGE OF CIVIL AND CRIMINAL COURT
 PROCEEDINGS, INCLUDING TRIALS.
   2. DEFINITIONS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A) "ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE" SHALL MEAN THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE OF EACH
 JUDICIAL DISTRICT; THE ADMINISTRATIVE  JUDGE  OF  NASSAU  COUNTY  OR  OF
 SUFFOLK  COUNTY; THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE OF THE CIVIL COURT OF THE CITY
 OF NEW YORK OR OF THE CRIMINAL COURT OF THE CITY OF  NEW  YORK;  OR  THE
 PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE COURT OF CLAIMS.
   (B)  "AUDIO-VISUAL COVERAGE" SHALL MEAN THE ELECTRONIC BROADCASTING OR
 OTHER TRANSMISSION TO THE PUBLIC OF RADIO OR TELEVISION SIGNALS FROM THE
 COURTROOM, THE RECORDING OF SOUND OR LIGHT IN THE  COURTROOM  FOR  LATER
 TRANSMISSION  OR REPRODUCTION, OR THE TAKING OF STILL OR MOTION PICTURES
 IN THE COURTROOM BY THE NEWS MEDIA.
   (C) "NEWS MEDIA" SHALL MEAN ANY NEWS REPORTING OR NEWS GATHERING AGEN-
 CY AND ANY EMPLOYEE OR AGENT  ASSOCIATED  WITH  SUCH  AGENCY,  INCLUDING
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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