State legislation designed to protect journalists and the work they do survived its first hurdle on Tuesday.
Democratic representative from Las Cruces, Sarah Silva, is the lead sponsor of House Bill 153, the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying, or PRESS Act. It is essentially an update to New Mexico’s existing press shield law.
It would ensure that covered journalists have well-defined legal safeguards should a state entity attempt to compel them to reveal confidential sources or information.
Silva told the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee that the measure also provides updated definitions relating to the current work and tools used by journalists.
“ It updates and strengthens protections for journalists and mediums of communication by defining journalist and mediums of communication in ways that journalism is done today.”
Public commenters voicing support during the committee hearing for the measure included the publishers of the Albuquerque Journal and the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Representative John Block of Almagordo questioned Silva and a journalism law expert for about a half hour and expressed some misgivings and some support for the measure.
“ We do need to protect journalism and in this country, we definitely want to make sure that folks are being able to exercise their first Amendment rights," said Block.
"I mean, that's super American. This would give extra rights to journalists, so I don't know about that. I think that might be something that could be turnoff for some people, but I do think that it's important at least to protect the profession”
In the end, Block and his GOP colleague on the committee, Stefani Lord (R, Sandia Park), voted no, citing the need to learn more about the bill.
Lord also argued that the measure needs more clear distinctions between what different types of journalists do. She gave the example of an investigative reporter versus a “hobbyist blogger.”
Silva’s two cosponsors for HB-153 are Speaker of the House Javier Martinez and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth.
The PRESS Act next heads to the House Judiciary Committee.
