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Senate Judiciary Committee to vote on Free Flow of Information Act

Efforts to pass a federal shield law continue to move forward. We have provided you with updates on progress of the House version of that bill throughout the summer, sending you ASNE Member Alerts on May 2, June 12 and Aug. 1.

Efforts to pass a federal shield law continue to move forward. We have provided you with updates on progress of the House version of that bill throughout the summer, sending you ASNE Member Alerts on May 2, June 12 and Aug. 1. Your contributions of stories, editorials and other contacts were crucial to achieving passage of the HR 2102, the Free Flow of Information Act, by the House Judiciary Committee.

Now it is the Senate Judiciary Committee´s turn. That body is primed to vote on S 1267, also known as the Free Flow of Information Act, which was introduced by Senators Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. However, it is our understanding that the vote is extremely likely to be held over to Thursday, Sept. 27.

We also understand that the bill will be amended with the wholesale substitution of S 2035, which was drafted by Senators Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and has the support of Senators Lugar and Dodd and of Senator Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman. This represents another excellent opportunity for the federal shield law movement.

As always, senators will be most moved by shows of support and interest from local citizens and media. We have added the following documents to the ASNE Free Flow of Information Act page to allow you to voice your support for S 2035, so that members of the Senate Judiciary Committee will favorably report that bill out of Committee:

We would appreciate it if you would send any copies of editorials you run or may already have run in support of HR 2102 to ASNE staff. In addition please do not hesitate to contact us or ASNE Legal Counsel Kevin M. Goldberg (703-812-0462) if you have any questions regarding this legislation.

FOI COMMITTEE chairs
David Westphal
Pat Yack

President
Gilbert Bailon

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