A coalition of democracy, disability access, and open government advocates — including the New England First Amendment Coalition — wrote to Massachusetts legislators today in support of guaranteed hybrid meetings.
“We oppose as inadequate any legislation, including the Municipal Empowerment Act, that seeks only to make the pandemic remote meeting rules permanent,” the groups wrote to Rep. Ron Mariano. “These rules fall short, because they only allow — but do not require — remote and hybrid meeting formats for public bodies under the OML. Enshrining the current pandemic rules would allow bodies to shut people out of public meetings and severely weaken the OML.”
Background
To date, the House has already passed forward-thinking legislation that would have guaranteed hybrid participation by entities under the Open Meeting Law. The Senate has yet to debate the matter.
In spring of 2023, NEFAC and partners conducted a survey of every city council, select board, and school committee in the state. According to that survey, more than half of those bodies are already conducting fully hybrid or remote-only access. Indeed, hybrid meetings are already standard operating procedure for many government entities in municipalities of every size, from Boston to Gosnold.
- City councils and select boards: 45% of city council and select board meetings are fully hybrid and 17% more are live streamed. In total, 62% are fully hybrid or live streamed.
- School committees: 35% of school committee meetings are fully hybrid and 25% are live streamed. In total, 60% are fully hybrid or live streamed.
The coalition supports a legislative proposal HD.368 filed by Representative Tony Cabral that will ensure greater access to open meetings for everyone — particularly for people with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or limited transportation — by requiring options for officials and members of the public to attend meetings in person or remotely.
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for the First Amendment and the public’s right to know about government. All coalition briefs, advocacy letters and statements can be found here.
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.