The press has often relied heavily on the willingness of confidential sources to risk their jobs and sometimes their lives in helping journalists uncover the truth. Without the help of secret sources like “Deep Throat,” the complete details of former President Richard Nixon administration’s connection to the Watergate scandal may never have been uncovered. It has been shield laws — laws which protect journalists from disclosing secret sources or information in court without risking jail time — that enable journalists to do deep investigations while still protecting their whistle-blowing sources.

Maryland was the first state to pass a shield law in 1896 after a reporter for The Baltimore Sun was imprisoned for not revealing his source in a story about corrupt city officials. Since then, more than 35 other states have followed with their own protections. The General Assembly has a chance to improve this groundbreaking law by passing a bill proposed by Del. Sandy Rosenberg (D-Baltimore City) that would extend the shield law to cover student journalists.

Reporters and editors for this paper, and the two other student publications owned by Maryland Media, Inc., The Eclipse and The Mitzpeh, are paid for their work, and were protected under the old bill. But it would protect the hundreds of students who report for journalism classes at this university, including those who cover Annapolis and Washington for Capital News Service and those who cover inner-city Baltimore for an urban journalism course.

It’s admittedly rare for student reporters to be in a position where the government would try to compel them to testify, but it’s not unheard of. Rosenberg drafted the bill after a journalism professor and his students at Northwestern University were subpoenaed for all information — including the students’ grades — regarding their investigation into wrongful convictions.

And shield laws protect more than just journalists; they also protect everyday employees who may be afraid to speak out on wrongdoing in government or the private sector. Professors may have tenure, but university employees can still be punished for speaking out. The ability of student journalists to uncover what happens behind closed doors is something vital to our university community, as well as many others.

However, while this bill makes great attempts to ensure student journalists are protected, it doesn’t go quite far enough. The shield law now protects journalists who receive a paycheck for their work.

If Rosenberg’s legislation passes, it would be extended to those who receive academic credit from state universities. But students who volunteer their time at a campus publication supported by student fees — including The Public Asian, The Terrapin Times, La Voz Latina and The Black Explosion — won’t be explicitly protected. They should be.

While these students may not receive anything in return for their work, that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable of making the same scoops. As the bill proceeds in the House of Delegates, state officials should go further and ensure that the new shield law protects all journalists, not just some. And a senator should step up and sponsor a companion bill in that chamber.

Legislators have a great opportunity to continue Maryland’s reputation as a state that respects the work and importance of the press. By setting the example, this state could lead the nation, much as it did more than 100 years ago, in encouraging a vigilant and protected press on university campuses.