WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- A divided U.S. Senate committee approved a measure that would allow public U.S. Supreme Court proceedings to be televised despite jurists' misgivings.
A separate measure that would allow TV coverage at federal trial and appellate court proceedings was withdrawn after opposition from both Democrats and Republicans, CNN said.
Several justices reportedly expressed opposition to television coverage.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill that would allow cameras in the Supreme Court courtroom on an 11-7 vote. The measure now goes to the full Senate.
Under provisions of the bill, the Supreme Court must allow television coverage of open sessions unless justices decide by majority vote that coverage of a particular case would violate a party's legal rights.
"With a governmental process you should err on the side of openness," said one sponsor, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.
Criticizing the measure, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said, "The Supreme Court doesn't tell us how to run our business, and we shouldn't tell them how to run their business."
Feinstein cited objections from several justices, including Anthony Kennedy's remarks that cameras would provide "an insidious temptation for justices to get a sound bite on the evening news."
