Senate Bill S160

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings; repealer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current 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

Do you support this bill?

Please enter your contact information

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.
Actions
Votes

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2023-S160 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A712
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: S5039, A4216
2021-2022: S792, A9592

2023-S160 - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings; allows the judge or justice presiding over a proceeding to exercise discretion to prohibit or limit filming or photographing of particular participants; defines terms; provides limitations on audio-visual coverage.

2023-S160 - Sponsor Memo

2023-S160 - 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.
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S160A - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A712
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: S5039, A4216
2021-2022: S792, A9592

2023-S160A - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings; allows the judge or justice presiding over a proceeding to exercise discretion to prohibit or limit filming or photographing of particular participants; defines terms; provides limitations on audio-visual coverage.

2023-S160A - Sponsor Memo

2023-S160A - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  160--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  HOYLMAN-SIGAL,  RAMOS  --  read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on  Judici-
   ary  --  recommitted  to the Committee on Judiciary in accordance with
   Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- 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)  AT  LEAST  ONE  STILL PHOTOGRAPHER, USING NOT MORE THAN TWO STILL
 CAMERAS.
   (C) AT LEAST ONE AUDIO SYSTEM FOR RADIO  BROADCAST  PURPOSES.    AUDIO
 PICKUP  FOR  ALL  MEDIA  PURPOSES  SHALL  BE  PROVIDED BY EXISTING AUDIO
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

co-Sponsors

2023-S160B (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A712
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: S5039, A4216
2021-2022: S792, A9592

2023-S160B (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to audio-visual coverage of judicial proceedings; allows the judge or justice presiding over a proceeding to exercise discretion to prohibit or limit filming or photographing of particular participants; defines terms; provides limitations on audio-visual coverage.

2023-S160B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S160B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  160--B
     Cal. No. 937
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 4, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, RAMOS, WEBB -- read twice and ordered
   printed,  and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Judici-
   ary -- recommitted to the Committee on Judiciary  in  accordance  with
   Senate  Rule  6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to  said  committee  --  reported
   favorably  from  said  committee,  ordered to first and second report,
   ordered to a third reading, passed by  Senate  and  delivered  to  the
   Assembly,  recalled,  vote  reconsidered,  restored  to third reading,
   amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place  in  the  order  of
   third reading
 
 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 OR LIMIT 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.    DEFINITIONS.  FOR  PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS
 SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "PROCEEDING" SHALL MEAN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING HEARD IN A  COURT
 OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN THIS STATE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.