Heath Haussamen

After a couple of conversations this morning, I have some follow-up thoughts about a posting I published earlier today about State Rep. Jeff Steinborn’s webcasting legislation.

Specifically, Steinborn’s House Resolution 2 would combine two existing rules – one permanent and one temporary – into a permanent rule that would allow webcasting of House committee meetings during sessions.

I expressed concern earlier today that the language in Steinborn’s resolution doesn’t make explicit that both official webcasting by Legislative Council Service and unofficial webcasting by lawmakers, journalists and others would be allowed.

And that could lead to the possibility that some transparency-hating committee chair might use such a new rule as an excuse to shut down webcasting by a lawmaker, journalist or other person.

That’s easily fixed with a couple of revisions. Here’s the relevant wording in Steinborn’s resolution:

“Photography, video or audio recording or transmission of committee proceedings may, upon request, be allowed with the permission of the chair, provided that the chair of each standing substantive committee shall cooperate with the legislative council service to produce a live audio or audio and video stream of the committee’s proceedings within budget and technological constraints.”

Add the words “by anyone” or “by legislators, journalists and others” or something like that after the words “transmission of committee proceedings” and you’ve make crystal clear that the rule would allow unofficial webcasting by anyone, with permission of the committee chair. In the second part of that long sentence, instead of starting with the words “provided that,” which seem to imply that the chair must cooperate with Legislative Council Services on any type of webcasting, start with the word “and.”

That would set in place a rule that actually requires committee chairs to cooperate with Legislative Council Service on producing official audio or audio and video webcasts of committee meetings.

Putting it all together, it would look something like this:

“Photography, video or audio recording or transmission of committee proceedings by anyone may, upon request, be allowed with the permission of the chair, and the chair of each standing substantive committee shall cooperate with the legislative council service to produce a live audio or audio and video stream of the committee’s proceedings within budget and technological constraints.”

Of course, if I had my druthers, unofficial webcasting wouldn’t technically require permission of the committee chair to begin with.

Thoughts?

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