State Senator Kevin Kinney (D) of District 39 weighs in on the Senate’s ban of reporters from the chamber floor.

The Republican-controlled Senate announced at the start of the legislative session that reporters could no longer work on the Senate floor, instead having to cover debates and voting from the viewing gallery one floor up. This breaks away from over a century of tradition between the media and legislators. Senator Kinney believes this decision will remove transparency from Iowans, “It’s taking the access away from the press, to have access to the senators. I think it’s a mistake on the Republicans [part] for doing this. Yesterday I had a person from the press that wanted to talk to me. They had to send notes in and much like the general public, if you don’t get the note it can take hours in delay.”

Senate Republican spokesperson Caleb Hunter stated that a growing number of non-traditional news outlets have made it more difficult to determine which can sit in the chamber. Reporters are still allowed access to the House chamber floor, though they are required to apply with the House Clerk to request a chamber seat, and that they work full-time for an organization that does original, nonpartisan reporting. You can hear more from Senator Kinney during Wednesday’s JJ Nichting Company In Touch with Southeast Iowa program.