A House and Senate conference committee has passed a bill to make the shield law permanent, but the amended version limits the protections journalists have had the past five years.

House Bill 622 still needs approval by the full Legislature before becoming law.

The bill’s current draft expands exemptions for law enforcement to subpoena notes and force reporters to disclose anonymous sources.

The bill eliminates protections bloggers and non-traditional media have had since the law took effect in 2008. It also requires a paid subscription, which effectively cuts out free online news sites and possibly some free newspapers. 

Read past Civil Beat coverage here.

— Nathan Eagle