The New England First Amendment Coalition joined several fellow advocates today to encourage the City of Boston to pass a “Sunshine Week” resolution outlining open government priorities.
The goal of Sunshine Week — March 16-22 this year with related events occurring throughout the month — is to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.
Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know. Learn how NEFAC is celebrating the occasion.
NEFAC, the ACLU of Massachusetts, Common Cause Massachusetts and Boston Center for Independent Living wrote the following:
Dear Members of the Boston City Council,
We write on behalf of transparency, democracy, civil rights, free press, and disability justice organizations to ask that you support docket #0696, a Resolution designating March 16-22, 2025, as “Sunshine Week” in the City of Boston and supporting hybrid meeting access under the Open Meeting Law. We are grateful to City Councilor Breadon and City Council President Louijeune for filing this important resolution and respectfully ask that you vote to approve it this Wednesday.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Boston and Massachusetts residents have come to expect that they can listen to and participate in their local democratic processes by logging on to a remote meeting. Now that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, cities and towns including Boston have largely pivoted to offering residents the option of attending meetings in person or tuning in over the internet. Hybrid meeting options have opened the door to democratic participation for many groups of people who were previously shut out: new parents, workers juggling multiple jobs, students, people with disabilities, those with transportation access challenges, and others. This expanded access has been transformative for individuals, families, and our local democracies. We cannot go back to the bad old days, when residents had to dedicate hours of time out of their busy days to participate in their local government.
These are frightening times for people who care about democracy and open government. Every day, we hear news of another outrageous assault on freedom of the press, free speech, and the rule of law originating from the White House. Now more than ever, cities like Boston and states like Massachusetts must provide an example for the country, demonstrating through public pronouncements, official resolutions, and law reforms the importance of transparency, openness, and access to democratic governance.
Please vote YES on Docket #0696 to support open government and join us in celebrating Sunshine Week.
NEFAC is the region’s leading defender of First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. Learn more about the coalition’s advocacy 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.