The Utah Senate is now proposing a rule change that will limit the amount of access the news media will have on the Senate floor.
Sponsored by Senator Mike McKell, Resolution 1 of the Rules of the Senate will ensure that accredited journalists cannot enter the Senate precincts without first receiving clearance from a Senate media officer. These reporters will also have to follow new dress requirements before getting clearance.
The areas included in this rule change are not limited to just the Senate floor, as they will also include other non-public areas such as the bedroom, hallways, and living room. According to McKell, the press is always welcome in all Senate committee rooms, but they are simply being asked for more space to work.
Salt Lake Tribune reporter Bryan Schott shared some of his frustrations via Twitter on Tuesday after the proposed rule changes. Schott believes the changes are part of a move that will more tightly control messages coming out of the Capitol and that by limiting the media, it’s harder for reporters to hold the Senate to account.
A similar effort to block journalists’ access to the House floor took place in 2018, but those efforts were later dropped following a media refusal.
