United States 112th Congress Status: Died 1 R cosponsors

S 410 — Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2011

Last action — Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts. Hearings held.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. Died in session

This bill died with 112th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2011 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate 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 to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; 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. Allows a presiding judge to obscure the face and voice of an individual if good cause is shown that photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising such features would threaten the individual's safety, the court's security, the integrity of future or ongoing law enforcement operations, or the interest of justice. Prohibits a presiding judge from permitting the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of any juror in a trial proceeding, or of the jury selection process. Terminates a district court's authority under this Act three years after enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate advisory guidelines to which a presiding judge may refer in making decisions regarding the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act. Requires the Judicial Conference to promulgate mandatory guidelines which a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses. Prohibits any audio pickup or broadcast of conferences which occur in a court proceeding between attorneys and their clients, co-counsel of a client, adverse counsel, or counsel and the presiding judge, if the conferences are not part of the official record of the proceedings.

Bill Text

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Read S 410 on the official United States source →

Action History

  1. Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts. Hearings held.

  2. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 27.

  3. Committee on the Judiciary. Reported by Senator Leahy without amendment. Without written report.

  4. Committee on the Judiciary. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

  5. Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S908-909)

  6. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S908)

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 546 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (546)

546 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights technology
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Frequently asked questions

What does S 410 do?
Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2011 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate 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 to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; 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. Allows a presiding judge to obscure the face and voice of an individual if good cause is shown that photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising such features would threaten the individual's safety, the court's security, the integrity of future or ongoing law enforcement operations, or the interest of justice. Prohibits a presiding judge from permitting the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of any juror in a trial proceeding, or of the jury selection process. Terminates a district court's authority under this Act three years after enactment of this Act. Authorizes the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate advisory guidelines to which a presiding judge may refer in making decisions regarding the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act. Requires the Judicial Conference to promulgate mandatory guidelines which a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses. Prohibits any audio pickup or broadcast of conferences which occur in a court proceeding between attorneys and their clients, co-counsel of a client, adverse counsel, or counsel and the presiding judge, if the conferences are not part of the official record of the proceedings.
Who sponsors S 410?
S 410 is sponsored by Chuck Grassley (R).
What is the current status of S 410?
This bill died with 112th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track S 410?
Track S 410 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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