United States · Bill · S
S. 369 (109th)
Free Speech Protection Act of 2005
Introduced
14 February 2005
Last action
14 February 2005 · Introduced
Status
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsors
Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT], Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI], Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT], Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 August 2026
Summary
Free Speech Protection Act of 2005 - Prohibits judicial, legislative, or executive branch entities of the Federal Government with the power to issue subpoenas or provide other compulsory process from compelling any person who engages in news or information gathering for dissemination to the public (covered person) through the news media to disclose: (1) the source of news or information, or any information that would tend to identify the source, whether or not the source has been promised confidentiality; or (2) any news or information procurred while providing services to the news media that is not itself communicated to the news media. Extends this protection to supervisors, employers, or other persons assisting a covered person. Renders inadmissible in any Federal action, proceeding, or hearing news or information obtained in violation of this Act. Creates an exception from the prohibition on compelled disclosure for news or information not communicated to the news media if a court finds that the requesting party has established by clear and convincing evidence that: (1) disclosure is critical and necessary to the resolution of a significant legal issue; (2) the news or information could not be obtained by alternative means; and (3) there is an overriding public interest in disclosure. States that publication by the news media, or dissemination by a person while providing services for the news media, of a source of news or information shall not constitute a waiver of the protections provided by this Act.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
14 February 2005
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Source: IntroReferral
14 February 2005
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in Senate · 14 February 2005 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in Senate (text)
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Leesvertaling
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Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 14 February 2005
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 14 February 2005
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 14 February 2005
Leesvertaling
Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT] · D · Cosponsor
- Sen. Clinton, Hillary Rodham [D-NY] · D · Cosponsor
- · ssju00 · Standing
Related records
No cross-record relationships stored yet.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/369
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/109/s/369
- us · 109-s-369 · source updated 10 August 2026