The Arkansas Senate Efficiency Committee voted on Wednesday to remove its policy banning the use of cellular devices for livestreaming or video recording by visitors to the Senate’s galleries. The policy had been put in place on Monday, Feb. 14. A rule banning smoking, eating or drinking in the Senate Galleries was also amended. Under the new policy, drinks with lids will be permitted. Rules requiring electronic devices to be silenced, banning signage or noisemakers of any sort and restricting members of the media to the West Gallery remain in place. The Senate Efficiency Committee also voted to approve a media credentialing policy under which the Senate issues credentials only to media organizations and not individuals. An initial clause requiring a media organization to either have filed an LLC with the state or to be sponsored by taxpayer dollars was removed, as it would have disqualified the Associated Press and national news outlets from covering the Senate. Media organizations will be issued two media passes per session, one for a reporter and the other for a photographer, according to the policy. The policy also states that the me dia passes must be worn at all times while visiting the Senate, and the passes must be shown if requested by a senator, the Senate’s sergeant at arms, a state Capitol police officer or Senate staff.
