FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would limit the public broadcasting of 911 emergency tapes cleared a state Senate committee despite the protests of several media groups.
David Thompson, the executive director of the Kentucky Press Association, said after Thursday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that media groups will fight the passage of the bill.
"I think it's a foregone conclusion that it's going to pass the Senate and we're already starting to work on the House and the House Judiciary Committee," Thompson said.
The bill would prohibit the broadcasting of 911 emergency tapes but would allow for the release of transcripts of those calls. The bill allows the media to listen to recordings to verify the accuracy of those transcripts. Media can get the audio recordings if they have the consent of the victim of the crime and the person reporting the crime, the bill says.
Sen. John Schickel, R- Union, told the committee Thursday that the bill was "common sense decency" that protects the public and still allows the media to monitor the effectiveness of emergency responders. Schickel, a former U.S. Marshal, sponsored the bill.
Read the full story at Kentucky.com