Cameras in the Courtroom Act

The Cameras in the Courtroom Act would require the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all its open sessions, such as oral arguments and opinion announcements. Currently, the Supreme Court only allows limited in-person access to proceedings, with about 50 members of the public able to attend arguments on a first-come basis. This bill would allow Americans to watch these proceedings on television, significantly increasing public access and transparency.

The bill includes a safeguard allowing the Court to opt out of televising a specific case. If a majority of the justices determine that broadcasting would violate the due process rights of any party involved, they can vote to restrict coverage for that particular case. The legislation has bipartisan support in the Senate and has been introduced multiple times over the past 20 years, though it has never been voted on by the full Senate. The bill is currently in the early stages and has not yet received committee action.