The New England First Amendment Coalition is again asking the Massachusetts Attorney General to order the disclosure of certain motor vehicle records that were once public but are now kept secret due to a misconstrued law.
The Work Family Mobility Act and related regulations pose an impassable barrier for journalists seeking a variety of Registry of Motor Vehicles records that were previously public and contain no immigration information — the primary focus of the WFMA.
Such records are essential to accountability journalism and government transparency, especially given the recent death of a kindergarten student who was struck by a school bus.
In the case of Lens Arthur Joseph, the 5-year-old student killed after exiting his school bus on April 28, there is little known about the bus driver’s history, explained NEFAC in a recent follow-up letter to Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. Reporting shows multiple warning signs about the driver’s competency yet RMV officials will not provide his record because of a misinterpretation of the WFMA.
The coalition previously wrote to Attorney General Campbell in September but did not receive a response to its concerns.
“The RMV’s interpretation of the WFMA needs to be corrected,” NEFAC again wrote on June 27. “Journalists and other members of the public are burdened by the lack of information.”
In its letters, NEFAC provided several other examples including:
• WBUR reporter Todd Wallack’s request for the driving records of several public officials was rejected.
• The Boston Globe’s Laura Crimaldi’s request for the driving records of another bus driver who caused a fatal accident was similarly denied.
• Public safety reporting — such as coverage of the recent preferential treatment given by State Police troopers to CDL applicants — has been drastically limited.
“Now, the family of Lens Arthur Joseph — as well as Gov. Maura Healey and others troubled by the lack of information — are asking for driving records to again be released,” NEFAC wrote. “These records are of critical public interest.”
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. You can read all the coalition’s briefs and advocacy letters here. Want to learn more about the Massachusetts public records law? Start with our FOI Guide.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
NEFAC is supported by the Estate of Gloria L. Negri. Additional funding is provided by Leadership Circle donors including the Rhode Island Foundation, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters of NEFAC’s work are Hearst Connecticut Media Group, Boston University, the Academy of New England Journalists, Northeastern University and WCVB-Boston.