New rules in Utah, Iowa and Kansas have either limited access to the legislative floors or required them to stay in the chambers’ galleries, the Associated Press reported. The rules have received backlash from journalists, who said they are making it easier for the lawmakers to avoid their questions, potentially decreasing the amount of accountability for their actions.

The Utah rule implemented this week allows journalists covering a legislative committee to enter the area behind the dais only if they get permission from a committee chairperson.

The Iowa rule ends the 100-plus-year tradition of allowing journalists to work at press benches in the Senate chamber, instead relegating them to the public gallery on an upper floor, the Des Moines Register reported.

The Kansas rule is similar to Iowa’s, requiring journalists to report from an upper gallery, the Kansas City Star added.

According to AP, while press rules vary across different state legislatures, most allow journalists to report from the chamber floors. This gives them easier access to the lawmakers to ask them questions.

Lauren Gustus, executive editor of the Salt Lake Tribune, testified against the rules in a hearing with Utah lawmakers last week, the AP report added.

“It is critical that there is some accountability with respect to those who have tremendous power, such as you,” Gustus told the lawmakers.

State Representative Timothy Hawkes, who sponsored the Utah rule, said it addresses a “lack of clarity,” according to a report by Salt Lake City’s Deseret News.

“They have to get the chair’s permission to be up there next to the legislators, which seems like a reasonable thing to let the committee chair control when we’re in some of these more contentious committee hearings,” he said.

In an email to the Des Moines Register, Senate Republican spokesperson Caleb Hunter said one of the reasons for the Iowa rule was “the evolving nature and definition of ‘media,’” creating more “non-traditional” outlets, making lawmakers question which journalists should get access to the chamber.

However, journalists have argued that the consequences of the rules outweigh any potential benefits. In a statement, the leaders of the Iowa Capitol Press Association said removing journalists from the legislative chamber floors makes it harder for them to serve as the “eyes and ears of the public.”

“Having real-time access to lawmakers allows reporters to provide important clarification, context and additional information to the public,” the statement said. “Lawmakers who have real-time access to reporters can pass along news that might not otherwise be reported, and also hold journalists accountable for errors or unclear information in stories.”

In a news release, the Freedom of the Press Foundation expressed its concern over the new rules.

“These moves are a troubling development in the increasingly rocky relationship between government officials and the press that covers them, and should be rolled back and opposed wherever possible,” it said.

Update 2/18/22, 11:30 a.m. ET: This story was updated with additional information.