Shield Law Bill Clears House Judiciary Committee
The measure would protect journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources.
The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Karl Rhoads, unanimously passed a measure Tuesday that would protect journalists from having to disclose their confidential sources under certain circumstances.
There was聽a shield law in Hawaii until 2013 when it was allowed to sunset because lawmakers couldn’t agree on the language amid pressure from the Attorney General’s office.
The Judiciary Committee made several amendments to聽, including language to make it clear that the privilege is held by the journalist and not the source.聽The goal there, Rhoads said, is addressing concerns聽that if a聽journalist feels a source isn鈥檛 being truthful, there聽won鈥檛 be聽any legal or moral obligation to keep the source secret.
Hawaii lawmakers are considering bringing back a shield law to protect journalists from revealing their sources and notes.
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Rhoads said language would be also added to ensure that if a journalist revealed a source to someone also protected by a confidential relationship, like聽an attorney or priest, that it would聽still be privileged. But if a聽journalist told someone at a bar, for instance, who a source was then the privilege聽was waived forever.
The bill heads to a vote before the full House next.聽Read Civil Beat’s past coverage聽here.
