No witness shall be compelled to testify in any proceeding conducted by a commission, administrative agency or other tribunal in this State if any portion of his or her testimony is to be broadcast or televised or if motion pictures are to be taken of him or her while he or she is testifying. This Section shall not apply to judicial proceedings.
8-701.Broadcast or televised testimony.
Article VIII. Evidence · Part 7. Broadcast or Televised Testimony · Last amended 2012 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceA witness in a non-judicial proceeding before a commission, administrative agency, or other tribunal cannot be forced to testify if any part of it will be broadcast, televised, or filmed, though this protection does not apply to judicial proceedings.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/8-701
Plain-English Summary
Section 8-701 protects witnesses from being compelled to testify on camera or on the air outside the courtroom. It applies when a commission, administrative agency, or other tribunal in Illinois conducts a proceeding and any portion of the witness's testimony would be broadcast, televised, or captured on motion picture film while the witness testifies. In that setting, the witness cannot be compelled to testify at all.
The protection is limited to non-judicial proceedings. The section states in plain terms that it does not apply to judicial proceedings, so witnesses appearing before a court do not get this shield against broadcast or recorded testimony under this provision.
The rule reflects a concern distinct from the Dead-Man's Act or the privilege provisions elsewhere in Article VIII: it is not about the content of the testimony or the relationship between the witness and another person, but about the medium through which testimony would be captured and disseminated in administrative and commission settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a witness be forced to testify on television before an Illinois administrative agency?
No. Section 8-701 says no witness can be compelled to testify in a proceeding before a commission, administrative agency, or other tribunal if any part of the testimony is to be broadcast, televised, or filmed.
Does this broadcast protection apply in court trials?
No. The section expressly states it does not apply to judicial proceedings, so it covers only proceedings before commissions, administrative agencies, and similar tribunals.
What triggers the protection under Section 8-701?
The protection applies when any portion of the witness's testimony is to be broadcast or televised, or when motion pictures are to be taken of the witness while testifying.
Who can invoke the protection in Section 8-701?
Any witness called to testify before a commission, administrative agency, or other tribunal in Illinois, where the testimony would be broadcast, televised, or filmed, can decline to be compelled to testify under this section.
Does Section 8-701 stop an agency from holding a proceeding at all?
No. It only means a witness cannot be compelled to testify if broadcasting, televising, or filming is involved; it does not otherwise limit the tribunal's ability to conduct its proceeding.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 97-1099, eff. 8-24-12.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: broadcast testimony illinoistelevised testimony administrative hearingwitness camera administrative agency illinois8-701 illinois evidence