Board approves LDF grants
The SPJ board on Saturday made decisons to spend $15,000 from the Legal Defense Fund for two initiatives. First, the board gave $5,000 to a group in Indiana petitioning to get cameras in courtrooms. Indiana is one of 13 state with restritions that make it difficult to record in courtrooms. The state has been going through a trial period. The Indiana Broadcasters Association is footing most of the bill. with an $80,000 contribution and $40,000 budgeted. Indiana SPJ is in for $1,000.
The board also agreed to spend $10,000 to write draft legislation that would prohibit censorship at student publications. This effort is headed up by David Carlson, who was president in 2005-2006. The idea is to come up with a bill that can be used an numerous states and find people to push it through the legislature.