News

In the wake of a controversial federal plan that would force photographers to buy a pricey permit to film on federal wilderness areas, a new act named after one of America’s most famous and beloved photographers has been proposed. The bill, called the Ansel Adams Act, would also allow photographers to record the actions of police and government employees in the line of duty.

The proposed legislation would protect “both landscape photographers who document publicly protected wilderness and journalists who document police behavior, both benign and controversial,” according to Esquire, which first reported news of the legislation.

“The photography by Ansel Adams and other famous photographers helped bring home to Americans the beauty and fragility of our natural resources,” the bill states.

“Ansel Adams' photographs helped build public support to make Yosemite into a National Park. Future 'Ansel Adams' must not have their paths blocked, regulated and made more expensive with fees and fines, or be threatened with arrest and seizure of their equipment.”

The bill is the brainchild of Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Texas) who introduced the Ansel Adams Act on January 2, 2015, the day before leaving office. (Stockman ran for U.S. Senate in the 2014 election but lost in the Republican primary to incumbent Senator John Cornyn.)

Now that Stockman is no longer in Congress, the fate of the legislation remains in doubt. According to Esquire, the bill is currently stranded in committee and since it has no co-sponsors, it needs to be re-introduced by another member of Congress to stay alive.

You can read the full text of the Ansel Adams Act here.

(Via Esquire)