National Freedom of Information Coalition
Protecting Your Right to Open Government

Tag: Massachusetts Public Records Law

Opinion: State often keeps public in dark

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From Boston Herald: Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis praised the sunlight of public scrutiny as “the best of disinfectants.” The dark and dusty corners of Massachusetts government need far more sunshine.

The commonwealth enacted its public records law in 1966, the same year Congress passed the Freedom of Information Act. While the world looks very different than it did in the age of LBJ and Gov. John Volpe, our public records law becomes more antiquated each year, leaving far too many avenues for officials to avoid disclosure.

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Press seeks better access to public records

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From Patriot Ledger: BOSTON — News media representatives lobbied a legislative committee Tuesday, hoping to relegate to history the current, often slow and expensive process of obtaining official government records.

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Who’s counting? Boston Globe probe raises doubts on public meeting quorums

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From Boston Globe staff reporter Todd Wallack via NEFAC: While writing a story recently about the Massachusetts state pharmacy board, I noticed something odd: Only half the board members showed up for a meeting last summer — too few for a quorum — but the board members went ahead with the meeting anyway and voted on one item after the next.

It turns out it was part of a much wider problem, raising questions about how frequently obscure boards comply with all the rules for public meetings throughout New England.

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NFOIC’s State FOIA Friday for June 28, 2013

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A few state FOIA and local open government news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier in the week. While you're at it, be sure to check out State FOIA Friday Archives.

 

Acting ND University System chancellor says NDSU president emails are not gone for good

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Lantigua spends $32,178 of taxpayers money to fight $61 public records request

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From The Valley Patriot:  Records obtained by the Valley Patriot reveal that Lawrence Mayor William Lantigua has spent a stunning amount of state taxpayer’s money, ($32,178.51) to fight the release of public records regarding legal bills and rental payments to a private law firm representing the City of Lawrence on worker’s compensation claims.

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Lawrence, Mass. official seeks city councilor’s personal emails

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From New England First Amendment Center:

Emails dealing with public business sent or received by public 
officials from their personal email accounts are public records, 
according to a ruling by the Massachusetts secretary of state.

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The Patrick Administration’s Guide to the Public Records Law

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From Boston Magazine

Hot on the heels of “Sunshine Week,” when MassPIRG celebrated the Patrick Administration’s commitment to transparency, we thought we’d collect some best practices in transparency we’ve learned over the years from the Administration.

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