SB 994

This bill requires the Department of Administration to issue a request for proposals to solicit bids on a contract for the operation of a public affairs network in Wisconsin. Under the bill, the contract must include all of the following requirements and prohibitions:

1. The public affairs network must provide unedited live video and audio coverage, including online, of state government proceedings. State government proceedings include floor sessions of the senate and assembly, meetings of legislative committees, meetings of executive branch agencies, supreme court and other judicial proceedings, news conferences by legislators or other state government officials, and related civic events. Under the bill, in making coverage decisions, the public affairs network must prioritize floor sessions of the senate and assembly, meetings of legislative committees, meetings of executive branch agencies, and supreme court and other judicial proceedings and may, if practicable, provide coverage of eligible news conferences and civic events.

2. The public affairs network must provide coverage by live stream online of all legislative proceedings that are open to the public.

3. The public affairs network must permanently maintain and provide online public access to unedited digital archives of all of its coverage of all such state government proceedings.

4. No fee may be charged to access live or archived coverage of floor sessions of the senate and assembly or meetings of the Joint Committee on Finance.

5. The public affairs network must be strictly nonpartisan.

6. The public affairs network must provide that its coverage may not be used for campaign purposes.