LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles Police Commission approved Dec. 14 an updated department policy to comply with Senate Bill 98 (SB 98), which exempts media professionals from having to comply with police dispersal orders while covering protests, marches, and other types of demonstrations. The legislation states that “law enforcement shall not intentionally assault, interfere with, or obstruct journalists” covering protest demonstrations and other civic actions. It also bars officers from citing journalists for failure to disperse, and bars officers from violating or interfering if journalists are solely gathering, receiving, or processing information. The updated policy also broadens the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) definition of media to include freelance reporters and students reporting for their high school or college newspapers. “But, should a member of the media—either the most well-recognized or freelance—do things that violate other laws other than those discussed in the statute, then the department may take action because being a member of the media does not give you immunity from …