Utah lawmaker moves to further limit media access to lawmakers at Capitol

A Taylorsville Republican filed a rules resolution on Thursday to limit media access to lawmakers on the House floor — a similar measure approved by Utah Senate Republicans last week.

The measure, HR2, sponsored by state Rep. James Dunnigan, would require credentialed reporters to get the permission of the House of Representatives speaker or the speaker’s “designee” to “conduct and record” interviews with lawmakers in the House chamber, gallery, lounge, halls and committee rooms.

HR2 would also prevent journalists from standing behind a committee room dais without the approval of a committee chair. Photographers and videographers have often stood behind the dais during committee hearings to capture the face of an individual who is testifying for or against a bill.

Additionally, the proposed rules resolution says journalists would need to get approval from the House speaker to enter House committee rooms, according to the measure’s text. Alexa Roberts, a spokesperson for the Utah House, clarified that media access to House committee rooms would not change as “committee rooms are public spaces.”

Read more: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/02/25/utah-lawmaker-moves/