Media shield law bill passes Idaho Legislature with unanimous support

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - A bill designed to protect journalists' confidential sources has passed the Idaho House and Senate with bipartisan support.

House Bill 158 was unanimously passed by the Idaho Senate with a 35-0 vote on Tuesday. The Idaho House also approved the legislation without any opposition.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Barbra Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, stated that the legislation would prevent reporters from being forced to disclose their sources, except in situations involving imminent physical harm or national security concerns.

"It would block attorneys from accessing unpublished materials, notes, recordings, etc. through subpoenas," said Ehardt. "The current president of the Idaho Press Club has shared with us that over the last eight months, the subpoenas have increased exponentially. One of the problems that is happening is a lot of the subpoenas are going after the smaller reporters or the smaller newspapers because they know some of the larger ones can fight it."

Of all the states in the nation, only ten lack a media shield law, according to a report by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.

Senator David Lent, R- Idaho Falls, says the lack of these laws has affected the ability of the free press to operate in the Gem State.

"In Idaho, there's been a growing use, by the legal system to, I guess in some cases we call weaponize these lawsuits," said Sen. Lent. "And when that's become more and more evident, is, against reporters, to have them and make them reveal their sources, of course, that has a significant chilling effect on the ability for them and our free press to operate."

The bill now moves to Governor Little's desk for final consideration.