Update: The Colorado House approved HB 23-1182 on third reading 63-0 on Friday, Apr. 14.

There will be no “presumptive” livestreaming of criminal trials and evidentiary hearings in state courts, but judges may allow those proceedings to be broadcast on Webex or another videoconferencing platform after considering several factors, a directive issued by Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright on Wednesday says.

Chief Justice Directive 23-02, which goes into effect May 15, coincides with the state legislature’s consideration of a bill requiring Colorado courts to livestream open criminal court proceedings. House Bill 23-1182 passed the House Judiciary Committee last week.

A draft version of the chief justice directive published in March did not permit the livestreaming of criminal trials and evidentiary hearings. Such a prohibition would have been “a radical departure from the status quo,” First Amendment attorney and Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition president Steve Zansberg wrote in comments submitted to the judicial branch.