South Carolina Lawmaker Proposes Bill Requiring Journalists To Register With The Government Before Getting Hired By Media Outlets

by Diana Tomale / Jan 20, 2016 04:17 PM EST

A bill proposed by a South Carolina lawmaker requires journalists to register with the government before working for media outlets. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

A South Carolina lawmaker proposed a legislation that would oblige journalists to register with the government before they are employed by media outlets, Time reported Tuesday. The bill, titled "South Carolina Responsible Journalism Registry Law" was sponsored by Republican State Rep. Mike Pitts.

Said bill would launch a "responsible journalism registry" with requisites that journalists need to comply before they would be allowed to work for a news outlet.

Pitts told The Post and Courier newspaper that the proposed bill is not a retort to any particular news story. He said the bill was intended to encourage discussion about how gun issues are being reported.

"It strikes me as ironic that the first question is constitutionality from a press that has no problem demonizing firearms," he said, noted by ABC News Tuesday. "With this statement I'm talking primarily about printed press and TV."

"The TV stations, the six o'clock news and the printed press [have] no qualms demonizing gun owners and gun ownership."

Under the proposed bill, it said: "The Secretary of State's Office shall create a registry for the registration of persons who qualify as a journalist pursuant to this chapter."

"Before hiring or contracting with a person as a journalist, a media outlet shall require the person to present a copy of a criminal record background check and shall make a determination pursuant to Section 40-85-40 whether the person is competent to be a journalist."

On the other hand, an executive director of an organization said the idea Pitts' proposed bill is unlawful.

"Any registration of journalists would be unconstitutional - unless you lived in Cuba or North Korea," said Bill Rogers of South Carolina Press Association, noted by Fox News Wednesday.

Ashley Landness of the South Carolina Policy Council said: "I hope that this insane attempt at shutting up any hint of criticism finally wakes everyone up to how dangerous and how out of control our legislators are. I hope that this insane attempt at shutting up any hint of criticism finally wakes everyone up to how dangerous and how out of control our legislators are."