House Speaker Dan Hawkins made the decision to remove journalists from the House floor, limiting their access to the chamber. Hawkins claimed that the move was made to provide his staff with better seating arrangements by gesturing to staff members occupying the former press box area. He emphasized that journalists were not banned, as they were still allowed to take photos from the back and side walls of the chamber.
During a debate over new House rules, Rep. Kirk Haskins proposed an amendment to restore press access. Haskins argued that access to the House floor was essential for reporters to inform the public and urged transparency in government proceedings. However, the Republican-led House rejected the amendment, along with other proposed changes such as recording committee votes and reinstating a rule against late-night debates.
Republicans defended their decisions, with some arguing that late-night debates could lead to impaired decision-making. Despite opposition, the House voted to maintain the new restrictions on press access and rejected proposed changes to House rules.
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