Senator Durbin helps introduce bill to put cameras in Supreme Court

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley introduced legislation on Wednesday to require open proceedings of the Supreme Court to be televised. 

The U.S. Senate says the bipartisan “Cameras in the Courtroom Act” would require the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all open sessions of the Court, unless the Court decides, by a majority vote of the justices, that doing so would constitute a violation of the due process rights of one or more of the parties before the Court. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly introduced the House companion legislation Wednesday.

“It’s time to put cameras in the Supreme Court so Americans can finally see arguments and decisions in cases that will affect them for generations to come. This bipartisan bill shines a light into the judicial branch of government so more than just a few hundred lucky Americans can watch proceedings in the Court’s historic halls,” Durbin said.

Officials say, historically, oral arguments and other sessions of the Supreme Court are only open to the public in person and on a first-come basis. Those not fortunate enough to get a seat in the Courtroom in the past have had to wait for secondhand accounts from reporters, read transcripts or listen to audio recordings released later. In May 2020, the Supreme Court held oral arguments remotely and made the live audio available for the public for the first time as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic – a successful process that has continued since returning to in-person proceedings. However, video of the proceedings remains unavailable.

Senators say the “Cameras in the Courtroom Act” only applies to open sessions of the Supreme Court – sessions where members of the public are already invited to observe in person, but often cannot, because there are a very limited number of unreserved seats in the Courtroom.

Senators say allowing public scrutiny of Supreme Court proceedings would produce greater accountability, transparency and understanding of the judicial system.