By Meghan Maskery
Columbia Missourian
Feb. 22, 2006

Excerpt:

Proposals to let journalists keep their sources secret ran into questioning from Missouri's Senate Judiciary Committee.

State Sens. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia, and Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, have filed similar bills that would protect reporters from having to disclose their sources in court.

The committee chairman, state Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Jackson County, said the wording of the bills needed to be clarified to ensure that courts uniformly apply the proposed law.

He said the bills offer "very general admonitions" and that there is "not a whole lot of guidance here." But he also told the senators, "You guys have obviously put your finger on an issue of some interest to us."

Under the bills, a state court would be prohibited from forcing a journalist to disclose a source unless authorities could prove all other avenues for finding the information had been exhausted or the court decided disclosure was necessary to protect the public interest.

State Sen. Chris Koster, R-Harrisonville, who is a former prosecutor, asked whether reporters would be able to hide behind the shield law to get out of testifying in libel cases.

Crowell answered that the court maintains its ability to force journalists to disclose sources under his bill after the proper steps have been taken.

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