Correspondents
Admission to and
administration of the Press Galleries of the Senate and House of
Representatives shall be vested in a Committee on Correspondents consisting of
the President pro tempore of the Senate, or a designee; the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, or a designee; the Supervisor of the Capitol
Newsroom; the President of the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents'
Association, or a designee and the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania
Association of Broadcasters, or a designee.
Persons desiring
admission to the press sections of the Senate and House of Representatives
shall make application to the Chair of the Committee on Correspondents. Such
application shall state the newspaper, press association or licensed radio or
television station, its location, times of publication or hours of
broadcasting, and be signed by the applicant.
The Committee on
Correspondents shall verify the statements made in such application, and, if
the application is approved by the committee, shall issue a correspondent's
card signed by the members of the committee.
The gallery assigned
to newspaper correspondents or recognized press association correspondents or
representatives of licensed radio and television stations, systems or
newsgathering agencies shall be for their exclusive use and persons not holding
correspondents cards shall not be entitled to admission thereto. Employees of
the General Assembly, representatives and employees of state departments,
boards, commissions and agencies, visitors and members of the families of
correspondents entitled to admission to the press gallery shall, at no time, be
permitted to occupy the seats or be entitled to the privileges of the press
gallery.
Accredited
representatives of newspapers, wire, newsreel services and licensed radio or
television stations, systems or newsgathering agencies, may be authorized by
the Speaker of the House to take photographs, make audio or video recordings or
tapes, and to broadcast or televise in the House of Representatives.
Applications to take photographs, make audio or video recordings or tapes, or
to broadcast or televise at public hearings of committees shall be approved by
the committee chair or co-chairs conducting such hearing. However, the
committee chair conducting the hearing may make such orders to such
representatives as may be necessary to preserve order and decorum.
No photographs shall
be taken nor any recordings or tapes made, nor any broadcasting or televising
done in the House of Representatives during sessions, being at ease or
recessed, without prior notice to the Representatives. When possible, such
notice shall be given at the beginning of the session, at ease or recess,
during which the photographs, recordings or taping, broadcasting or televising
are scheduled to be taken or made.
No more than one
representative of each newspaper, press association or licensed radio or
television station, system or newsgathering agency shall be admitted to the
press gallery at one time. Members of the Pennsylvania Legislative
Correspondents' Association and representatives of licensed radio and
television stations, systems or newsgathering agencies, assigned to the House
of Representatives on a daily basis shall have permanent assigned seating in
the press gallery with identification plates. Visiting representatives of daily
newspapers, press associations, Sunday newspapers as well as radio and
television stations, systems or newsgathering agencies shall coordinate seating
accommodations with the supervisor of the Capitol Newsroom.
Persons assigned to
the press gallery on a permanent or temporary basis, shall at all times,
refrain from loud talking or causing any disturbance which tends to interrupt
the proceedings of the House of Representatives.
Persons assigned to
the press gallery on a permanent or temporary basis shall not walk onto the
floor of the House of Representatives nor approach the rostrum or the clerks'
desks during session or while being at ease.
Persons assigned to
the press gallery on a permanent or temporary basis wishing to confer with a
Representative shall disclose this fact by having a message delivered by a page
to the Representative. Such conversation shall be conducted off the floor of
the House of Representatives.
Representatives of
the Pennsylvania Public Broadcasting System may, subject to regulations of the
Speaker, televise or make video tapes of proceedings of sessions of the House
of Representatives and meetings of all committees of the House of
Representatives.
