Assembly Bill A9592A

2021-2022 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

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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Bill Amendments

multi-Sponsors

2021-A9592 - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S792
Current Committee:
Assembly 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: A4216, S5039
2023-2024: A712, S160

2021-A9592 - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings.

2021-A9592 - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9592
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 17, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL,
   GALEF, QUART -- 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 Section 218 of the judiciary law  is  REPEALED  and  a  new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
 TELEVISION, RADIO, RADIO AND TELEVISION NETWORKS, NEWS SERVICES, NEWSPA-
 PERS, MAGAZINES, TRADE PAPERS, IN-HOUSE PUBLICATIONS, PROFESSIONAL JOUR-
 NALS OR ANY OTHER NEWS REPORTING OR NEWS GATHERING AGENCY, THE  FUNCTION
 OF WHICH IS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, OR SOME SEGMENT THEREOF.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

multi-Sponsors

2021-A9592A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Senate Version of this Bill:
S792
Current Committee:
Assembly 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: A4216, S5039
2023-2024: A712, S160

2021-A9592A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings.

2021-A9592A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9592--A
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 17, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL,
   GALEF, QUART -- read once and referred to the Committee  on  Judiciary
   --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
   and recommitted to said committee
 
 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
 AND  SHALL  BE LOCATED IN PLACES DESIGNATED IN ADVANCE OF ANY PROCEEDING
 BY THE JUDGE OR JUSTICE PRESIDING OVER THE PROCEEDING.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

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