S 917 · 93th Congress · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

A bill to protect the people's right to know by regulating the testimony of newsmen.

Introduced 1973-02-20· Sponsored by Sen. Ervin, Sam J., Jr. [D-NC]· Senate

Bill Progress

Introduced
2
Committee
3
Senate Vote
4
House
5
Enacted
Latest: Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary.(1973-02-20)

Plain Language Summary

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Provides that a newsman shall be competent and compellable to testify as a witness in a criminal proceeding before a federal grand jury or a criminal action in a federal court in respect to information gathered by him only for the purpose stated if the following conditions occur with respect to such information: (1) the information is based on the personal knowledge of the newsman rather than on hearsay communications received by him from others; and (2) the information tends to prove or disprove the commission of a crime allegedly committed by a third person which is being investigated by the grand jury or made the subject of prosecution in the courts. States that when a newsman is subpoenaed to testify in a criminal proceeding before a federal grand jury or in a criminal action in a federal court, the newsman may move before the judge of the court in which the grand jury is sitting or in which the criminal action is pending to quash the subpoena on the ground that the testimony sought to be elicited from him does not satisfy the conditions enumerated above.…

Summarized by Claude AI · Non-partisan · For informational purposes only

Cosponsors (2)

1 Democrat1 Republican