By Fox23.com News Staff
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma Senate bill that would allow audio and video recording, and even live broadcasting, in a limited number of courtrooms, is moving forward at the State Capitol.
The measure, known as the Courtroom Transparency Act, passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. Lawmakers will now decide whether the proposal advances further in the legislative process.
Supporters say the bill would increase transparency in Oklahoma’s judicial system while also helping address a statewide shortage of court reporters. Critics, however, have raised concerns about privacy for victims and witnesses.
The bill is authored by Christi Gillespie, a Republican from Broken Arrow. Gillespie says allowing cameras in courtrooms is a natural next step for public accountability.
“This is kind of the natural process for transparency throughout our judicial process for there to be video recording in the courtrooms,” Gillespie said.
Under the legislation, the Oklahoma Supreme Court would establish a pilot program for audio and video recording equipment capable of broadcasting and livestreaming courtroom proceedings.
The pilot would begin with at least 12 courtrooms, with priority given to those that do not currently have a court reporter.
“What we started with was a minimum of 12 courtrooms, with a preference for courtrooms that do not have a court reporter,” Gillespie said.
According to state data, more than 70 of Oklahoma’s 197 court reporter positions are currently vacant, leaving some courtrooms without a reporter and causing delays in proceedings.
Gillespie emphasized that the bill is not intended to replace court reporters but to help courts continue functioning amid staffing shortages.
“I do not want to replace court reporters, that is not the aim or the goal of this bill,” she said. “But the reality of our world today is we do have a court reporter shortage, and it has slowed down our judicial process.”
Attorney James Wirth of Wirth Law says the shortage has already disrupted hearings across the state.
“There’s been a huge problem with the shortage of court reporters in Oklahoma, so much so that it’s prevented hearings from happening at various times because they couldn’t find a court reporter to be present,” Wirth said.
Wirth believes the bill could help bring consistency to courtroom recording policies, which currently vary widely.
Others have urged caution, pointing to concerns over privacy and who would be allowed access to courtroom recordings, particularly in sensitive cases involving victims or witnesses.
When asked about those concerns, Wirth said the bigger issue is the lack of reliable records.
“The concern would be the lack of privacy in the court,” Wirth said. “There’s been plenty of proceedings where I’d love to have a record of those things, and those don’t exist. Right now, there’s no uniformity under the law as to when cameras are present and when they’re not.”
Gillespie says protections for victims and witnesses remain a priority.
“We are still protecting victims. We are protecting witnesses. And that is very important to me,” she said.
Supporters of the bill argue that courtroom recording protects constitutional rights and allows the public to better understand how the justice system operates.
Don Spencer, president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, says Oklahoma is overdue for increased courtroom transparency.
“Quite frankly, Oklahoma needs to come into the 21st century so we can see what is going on in our courtrooms,” Spencer said. “It allows us to keep an eye on what’s going on with our elected officials, like judges and district attorneys.”
Supporters point to past accountability rallies in Tulsa, calling for cameras in courtrooms as evidence of public interest in the issue.
Gillespie says the ultimate goal is keeping the justice system moving, even when staffing shortages create obstacles.
“This was about ensuring that we can continue our judicial process, that we can keep moving forward when there’s not a court reporter for the courtroom,” she said.
You can read the full text of the bill by clicking here.
