SENATE
HOUSE
JOINT
BILL STATUS
STATE LAW
REPORTS
EDUCATIONAL
CONTACT
home
home
Introduced Version House Bill 4148 History

   |  Email
Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
H. B. 4148


(By Delegates Doyle, Mahan, Perdue and Hatfield)
[Introduced January 21, 2010; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]




A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §57-3-10, relating to prohibiting members of the news media from being compelled to give testimony in any civil, criminal or grand jury proceedings; and providing exceptions.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §57-3-10, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. COMPETENCY OF WITNESSES.
§57-3-10. News media personnel sources for communication to the public not subject to being compelled as testimony; exception.
Persons connected with, employed by a news communication media or engaged in any news media communication to the public may not be compelled to testify in any civil, criminal or grand jury proceedings in any court in this state concerning:
(1) The source of any published or unpublished information obtained by the person in the course of gathering, receiving or processing information for any news media communication to the public; or
(2) Any unpublished information obtained or prepared by the person in the course of gathering, receiving or processing information for any news media communication to the public, without the consent of the person or persons providing the information relied upon for any news media communication to the public.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to prohibit members of the news media from being compelled to give testimony in any court in the state relating to the source of information in the public communication, without the consent of the person or persons providing the information relied upon for the public communication.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.  |  Terms of Use  |   Email WebmasterWebmaster   |   © 2024 West Virginia Legislature **


X

Print On Demand

Name:
Email:
Phone:

Print