IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A bill to protect journalist sources’ anonymity has been introduced in the Idaho Legislature. The bill is sponsored by two Idaho Falls legislators.
Sponsors Melissa Davlin and Marco Erickson say Idaho is one of ten states that don’t have media shield laws. The bill will keep confidential sources from being subpoenaed, which is something Davlin and Erickson say they are seeing happen more and more.
“We want [media sources] to feel confident that if they go to the media, that they are protected as a source, if they want to remain confidential,” Erickson said. “We don’t want them to have to reveal or risk having the courts pull it up unless it’s a case of national security or someone’s at risk of threat for harm or something.”
“The First Amendment, just like every other amendment, it’s not absolute, and states have the ability to add protections in their own statutes. This is a chance for Idaho to do the same for freedom of the press,” Davlin said.
The sponsors say the community can help by calling their local legislators and saying they support the media shield law protection.
