NEFAC Asks Mass. Attorney General to Amend Regulations, Require Release of RMV Records| The Work Family Mobility Act “never intended to burden journalists and other members of the public with such secrecy,” NEFAC wrote. “We are hopeful the regulations can be amended to make clear to the RMV that records previously public should continue to be released — especially as many of the rejected requests have no relation to the immigration status of Massachusetts residents.”
N.H. Supreme Court Dismisses Case That Would Stifle Political Speech; NEFAC, Submitted Amicus Brief Arguing for First Amendment Protections | “This is a free speech win,” said NEFAC’s Justin Silverman. “Our democracy depends on robust and often provocative political speech about matters of public concern. Today’s ruling gives us breathing room to share those opinions without fear of being dragged to court simply because someone disagrees with what we say.”
Election Coverage 101 | Local journalists need to look beyond conventional reporting to inform audiences about the consequence of their votes. By viewing this lesson, you’ll learn (1) how to approach voters and find relevant, timely sources for your stories (2) how to identify new election-related stories and report on under-served communities and (3) how to localize stories about national elections and keep election coverage relevant to your audience.
NEFAC Meets with Vt. Judiciary Officials to Address Challenges to Online Record Access | The meeting focused on recommendations outlined by the coalition last year, which included instituting a “public is public” model whereby any record publicly available at a courthouse is made publicly available online; improving public access through the computer terminals at courthouses; and posting all non-exempt court records online immediately upon filing.
Connecticut Open Meetings and Remote Access | Attorney Alexa Millinger, a partner in the Litigation Group at Hinckley Allen, discusses new open meeting law requirements with NEFAC’s Emily Sweeney. Millinger explains how the law has changed during the last several years and what is required of public bodies when meeting remotely. Learn more about open meetings in Connecticut here and subscribe to our Community newsletter to stay informed of all upcoming events.
Vermont Open Meetings and Remote Access | NEFAC’s Harrison Stark, a staff attorney at the ACLU of Vermont, discusses the evolution of open meetings since COVID and explains how a new law is providing increased access to the public. This presentation is part of a growing library of freedom of information tutorials that can be found in our FOI Guide. Click here to learn more about open meetings, public records and access to courts in Vermont.
NEFAC Meets with R.I. Attorney General to Discuss Open Government Concerns | NEFAC and representatives from the Attorney General’s Office, including Attorney General Peter Neronha, discussed topics including legislation to reform the state’s Access to Public Records Act, the use of fines to discourage violations of the public records law and additional improvements that could be made to the office’s database of open government decisions.
Rhode Island Open Meetings and Remote Access | John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island, leads this lesson on open meetings, remote access and possible legislative changes to the state’s Open Meetings Act. This presentation builds on the information provided in NEFAC’s growing library of open meeting law classes — all taught by local experts who provide an overview of their respective state’s law and what reforms are being considered.
14th Annual Gloria L. Negri First Amendment Institute Applications Available | Named after the late trail-blazing Boston Globe journalist, the Negri Institute (formerly the New England First Amendment Institute) is an annual, multi-day, intensive training program on freedom of information law and investigative reporting techniques. It is offered each year exclusively to 25 working New England journalists. Learn more about the Institute and how you can apply.
Maine Open Meetings Law and Remote Access | Led by Brenda Kielty, the first and current Public Access Ombudsman for Maine, this lesson focuses on remote access requirements for government meetings. Kielty explains how the law evolved since the COVID pandemic and under what circumstances remote or hybrid access must be provided. In addition to this lesson, you can learn more about Maine’s Freedom of Access Act here.
NEFAC to Maine Judicial Branch: Online Court Records System Broken, Needs Immediate Fix | “Put simply, this new policy conflicts with the court’s own rules and long-standing stated policy objectives. It also appears to conflict with First Amendment and common law presumptions of access to public court records. With a few narrow exceptions, court rules require the same access to records online as is given at courthouses.”
Police Face Competing Priorities After Shootings, Are They Meeting Their Obligations? | Officials have been reluctant to share meaningful details about several recent shootings in Maine citing ongoing investigations. “That justification that they’re using is often overused, if not abused,” NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman recently told WMTW in Portland. “It’s often used as a way to withhold basic information about crimes that are happening in our communities.”
Massachusetts Open Meetings Law and Remote Access | Common Cause Massachusetts Executive Director Geoff Foster discusses open meetings and remote access in the Commonwealth. Foster describes changes made to the law during the COVID pandemic and the legislation being considered that would make hybrid access permanent. You can learn more about the recent advocacy of Common Cause, NEFAC and other partner organizations here.
NEFAC, ACLU to City of Manchester: Change Unconstitutional Rules on Public Comments | Officials recently prohibited profanity and uncivil expression, among other types of speech, in violation of state and federal constitutions. “Categories of speech such as profanity and vulgarity are protected by the First Amendment and cannot be reasonably restricted during such meetings,” NEFAC and the ACLU explained.
How to Protect Yourself Online | As threats against journalists become increasingly common, reporters must take measures to protect themselves while newsgathering. By viewing this lesson, you’ll learn: (1) The necessities for protecting your electronic devices, such as encryption, 2FA, passwords and phishing awareness (2) how to reduce the risk of doxxing and (3) how to develop best practices for social media when used for both personal and professional purposes.