ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York state lawmakers have passed a bill to preserve media access to police radio feeds as law enforcement agencies increasingly encrypt their communications.

The proposal, which was approved Thursday, would require police departments to grant journalists and emergency services organizations access to their encrypted radio communications.

The bill allows for exemptions of information deemed “sensitive." The state will need to come up with exact rules on how access will work under the proposal.

The measure is a victory for media organizations whose reporters and photographers often tune in to police radio chatter and then zip over to crime scenes or other big happenings in search of stories.

“Preserving access to police radio is critical for a free press and to prese

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