By Jim Condos, Vt. Secretary of State The start of the new year provides an opportunity to reflect and set out our intentions for the months ahead. This year, I am asking all legislators to join me in committing to protect and expand access for Vermonters who are seeking access to public records. The bottom […]
Have a public records story you would like to share? Email justin@nefac.org with your experience trying to obtain information through a state public records law. By Colman M. Herman Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is dragging her feet big time in a matter involving my efforts to obtain copies of racial and gender complaints filed […]
Have a public records story you would like to share? Email justin@nefac.org with your experience trying to obtain information through a state public records law. By Colman M. Herman The Promise in 2014: “Charlie [Baker] has already proposed serious initiatives to make state government more transparent and will reexamine the practices regarding public records requests […]
Have a public records story you would like to share? Email justin@nefac.org with your experience trying to obtain information through a state public records law. By Colman M. Herman It is a fact of life that the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) often fail to respond to public records requests. And when they do, appeals often […]
The following are prepared remarks by NEFAC’s Michael Donoghue for the June 5 Maple Run Unified School District Board meeting in St. Albans, Vermont. Donoghue provided these comments as a representative for both NEFAC and the Vermont Press Association. Mr. Chairman and Members of the Maple Run School Board: I would like to speak in […]
Have a public records story you would like to share? Email justin@nefac.org with your experience trying to obtain information through a state public records law. By Colman M. Herman When I was at the State Transportation Building in Boston recently, I noticed that Emerson College was occupying a large office on the second floor of […]
The following was emailed to newsrooms and members of the media throughout Massachusetts on behalf of the Massachusetts Coalition of Families and Advocates. Would you like to share a public records story? Please email justin@nefac.org. By Dave Kassel I’m writing to call your attention to a bill in the Massachusetts Legislature, which we think would draw an ever-tighter […]
By Edward Fitzpatrick Rhode Island celebrated “Sunshine Week” recently, but when it comes to open government in Rhode Island these days, the more accurate description might be “Sunshine: Weak.” The Providence Journal detailed the dark days in a March 10 special report, “Transparency Under Assault: Government Secrecy in Rhode Island.” Reporters Tom Mooney and Amanda […]
By Richard C. Gagliuso During Sunshine Week, we remember and celebrate our ability to keep track of what our public officials are up to, through our broad right of access to governmental records and proceedings. Like many of the rights we enjoy as Americans, this is one we would do well to keep in mind […]
The following is the keynote address given by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on March 11 at the National Archives and Records Administration in honor of Sunshine Week. Sen. Leahy received NEFAC’s 2016 Stephen Hamblett First Amendment Award for his efforts to advance government transparency. By Sen. Patrick Leahy Sunshine Week is an opportunity for us […]