The measure is nearly identical to a rules resolution approved by Utah Senate Republicans last week.
Lea Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Stephanie Burdick of Salt Lake City hosts a meeting Thursday with Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, who voted against SB96 in the House Business and Labor Committee vote, Feb. 6, 2019.
A Taylorsville Republican on Thursday tabled a rules resolution to limit media access to House lawmakers — a similar measure endorsed by Utah Senate Republicans last week.
The measure, HR2, sponsored by State Representative James Dunnigan, would require accredited journalists to obtain permission from the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the President’s “designate” to “conduct and record” interviews with lawmakers. in the chamber of the House, gallery, drawing room, halls and committee rooms.
HR2 would also prevent journalists from standing behind a dais in a committee room 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 testifying for or against a bill.
Additionally, the proposed rules resolution says journalists would have to get the House Speaker’s approval to enter House committee rooms, according to the text of the measure. Alexa Roberts, spokeswoman for Utah House, clarified that media access to House committee rooms would not change because “committee rooms are public spaces.”
“Of course the committee hearings are open to the public, we broadcast them for the public to participate in,” House Speaker Brad Wilson said Friday. “There have been questions about where we set up the cameras and the disruptions that sometimes occur during committee hearings. So that’s one of the things we tried to work on.
If passed, the effort would change the way journalists communicated with lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Utah.
Dunnigan did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday evening.
“When conducting an interview in the chamber of the Chamber, media may enter the chamber for the purpose of conducting a specific interview and must leave the chamber promptly after completing the interview,” according to the proposed rule change.
The measure is nearly identical to a rules resolution approved by Utah Senate Republicans last week. State Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, who sponsored the legislation, previously said the measure would establish clear rules on media access and address security concerns in the Senate.
HR2 is expected to be presented at a meeting of the Rules Committee on Monday.
Because it is a rules resolution, the measure would only require a two-thirds vote of the House of Representatives to pass.
