Biden Signs Law Making it Easier to Photograph and Film in National Parks

Days before Christmas, the United States Senate passed a wide-ranging bill, the EXPLORE Act, which included provisions to reform how filming permits work within National Parks. President Biden signed the approved bill into law over the weekend, just a couple of weeks before the end of his term.

Within the broader EXPLORE Act, the FILM Act is considered a significant win for filmmakers and creators. Under the previous law, filmmakers were required to obtain a permit and pay a fee to record footage within National Parks that they intended to profit from. These permits could be denied for a range of unpredictable and inconsistent reasons, per FIRE and the National Press Photographers Association, who jointly filed a lawsuit last month alongside photographers Alexander Rienzie and Connor Burkesmith, citing First Amendment violations relating to the now-outdated filming permit laws.

While the new law will still require permits for large-scale commercial productions within National Parks and associated public lands, smaller groups of photographers and videographers will now be able to film without going through the arduous process of acquiring permits, provided that they follow park regulations, operate safely, and do not force the federal government to incur undue costs.

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