Texas House unanimously passes shield bill

With a unanimous 146 votes, the Texas House of Representatives today passed a reporter’s shield bill that would giver journalists a qualified privilege from being compelled to disclose confidential sources and reporting material.

H.B. 670 passed just one day after the House voted 146 to 2 on a second reading of the bill. Both of the dissenters voted yes on Thursday, according to the unofficial vote record.

The state Senate’s companion bill, S.B. 915, passed out of committee last week; the two versions of the law are substantially similar. Laura Prather, an attorney who has helped negotiated the measure on behalf of the media, said the Senate will likely take up the bill the week of April 13, since it must go back through committee for a review of amendments made in the House version.