A Republican lawmaker from South Carolina has sponsored a bill seeking the registration of professional journalists in his state.
State Rep. Mike Pitts introduced Tuesday a bill called the South Carolina Responsible Journalism Registry Law.
“The bill would create requirements for people wanting to work as a journalist for a media outlet, and also before that outlet could hire anyone for a reporting position,” he said.
Pitts’ law would give the South Carolina secretary of state authority over a “responsible journalism registry” that would also establish the proper qualifications of a journalist, much like how lawyers and doctors are overseen by a board.
The proposed law comes as Pitts’ response to what he feels is unfair media coverage of gun owners.
