S. 657: Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009

111th Congress · introduced 2009-03-19 · Law · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 361.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2009-03-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 361. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides, except when such action would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party. Directs: (1) a district court, upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, to order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request. Authorizes the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate advisory guidelines to which a presiding judge may refer in making decisions regarding the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act. Requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate mandatory guidelines which a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses. Prohibits broadcast of conferences between attorneys and clients.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: S. 657, Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009 (2010-05-12); CBO cost estimate: S. 657, Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009 (2010-05-12)

Cosponsors on this site

Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] reported raising $527,998 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-111s657.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/111/s>

Record fed-us-cong111-s657 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong111 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong111