Lawmakers propose Supreme Court sessions be televised

WASHINGTON, June 20 (UPI) -- Two U.S. senators on Thursday introduced legislation that would require Supreme Court proceedings to be televised.

The bill, called the Cameras in the Courtroom Act of 2013, would require all open sessions of the Supreme Court to be televised, unless the court decides, in a majority vote, televising proceedings would violate the due process of one or more of the parties involved, said a release from Senate Democratic whip Dick Durbin's office.

"Decisions made by the Supreme Court impact the lives of Americans in every corner of the country, but their proceedings often don't reach beyond the four walls of the court room. Over the next several days, the Supreme Court will announce opinions in some of the most closely watched cases in a generation. People of reasonable minds may disagree on the proper outcome of these cases and others, but we can all agree that the American public deserves the opportunity to see firsthand the arguments and opinions that will shape their society for years to come," Durbin, D-Ill., said.

Durbin introduced the bill with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

"The Supreme Court is a symbol of justice and fairness. It considers some of the most important issues of our time. That's why the Cameras in the Courtroom bill is necessary. The accountability, transparency and openness that this bill would create would help increase understanding of, and appreciation for, the highest court in the land and the decisions the court makes," Grassley said.