State lawmakers approved a deal Tuesday to create a legislative C-SPAN style cable network.

Senate Majority Leader Dale Schultz signed a contract with WisconsinEye president Jeff Roberts to set up the network in the Senate within the next six months. The seven-year contract still must be approved by the Senate Organizational Committee and the state Department of Administration.

The Assembly Organizational Committee approved an identical WisconsinEye deal for that house late Tuesday afternoon.

Under the contract, WisconsinEye would mount cameras in the state Capitol and cover Senate floor debates as well as committee meetings. The cameras would film only the presiding officer or speaker, a provision designed to spare lawmakers embarrassment if they're caught in unseemly positions.

If the governor and the judicial branch don't agree to become part of the network within 18 months the contract would be invalid.

No state money would be used for the network; Roberts said he'll fund it with $15 million in private donations to WisconsinEye.

(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)