Credentialed reporters are now restricted from entering the House and Senate floor of the Capitol without permission – a move that has sparked criticism from media outlets.
Credentialed reporters are now restricted from entering the House and Senate floor of the Utah Capitol to conduct interviews without permission.| March 1, 2022, 10:24 p.m.The Utah House of Representatives restricted media access to lawmakers on the statehouse floor on Tuesday.
Dunnigan’s rules resolution that alters media access in the House chamber mirrors a similar measure approved by the Senate last month. HR2 prevents credentialed journalists from entering nonpublic areas of the House, including the chamber, halls and conference rooms, to conduct and record interviews without the permission of the House speaker or speaker’s designee. The rules change also requires reporters to obtain approval from a committee chair before standing behind a committee room dais.
Dunnigan said sometimes lawmakers feel uncomfortable looking at their computers or phones when a videographer is standing behind a lawmaker during a committee meeting. Photographers and videographers often stand behind the dais during a committee meeting to capture footage of a lawmaker or witness testifying for or against a bill.
State Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, said he supported regulating media access to the House floor and said it would stop reporters’ “gotcha approach” when requesting interviews with lawmakers. Minority Leader Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, said he was concerned the rules resolution would limit transparency.
“I think their job is critical to what we’re doing here in the legislature. There must be sunshine, as much as we can give,” he said. “I know that we’re just trying to adjust the rules and put this in writing, but I think the optics are terrible. I really think they’re terrible.”
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