FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance is asking public record requesters to complete a survey designed to identify weaknesses in the state’s public records law. MassFOIA — consisting of the ACLU of Massachusetts, Common Cause Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, the New England First Amendment Coalition, and other like-minded organizations — created the survey and will use the results […]

The following blog post is one of seven that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By Justin Silverman The 10th annual Sunshine Week campaign reminded the […]

Marking Sunshine Week, Open-Government Groups Call for Long-Overdue Reforms FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE United under the banner of the Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance (MassFOIA), open-government groups today urge the state legislature to quickly pass recently filed legislation intending to modernize and rationalize the Massachusetts public records law. Their call to action coincides with a national […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org Federal courts are well-equipped to provide transparency, but as retired federal judge Nancy Gertner explained last week during the New England First Amendment Coalition‘s annual awards luncheon, “we are doing the opposite — and it is critical that we do something about it.” NEFAC hosted […]

Edgar v. Haines (U.S. 2021) Black-letter law holds that “prior restraints on speech and publication are the most serious and the least tolerable infringement on First Amendment rights.” Few protections for a free press and an informed public are more fundamental. Still, the government supervises the publications of a vast class of current and former […]

‘It Should Be Done’: Advocates Demand Access | Bennington Banner 12.4.20 In New England, states at the forefront of giving access include Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, according to the New England First Amendment Coalition. They allow the public to attend either by listening in over the phone or watching the proceedings online. Access […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce two law school fellows who will be helping the organization throughout the summer. Zachary Carlton and Tatiana Tway are both rising second-year students at New England Law | Boston. “We’re very happy to have Tatiana […]

Journal Reporter, Former Columnist Join NEFC Board | Providence Journal 12.7.16 A Providence Journal reporter and a former Journal columnist will join The New England First Amendment Coalition board, which promotes greater understanding of the right to free speech and freedom of the press nationally. Washington Post Media Columnist Wins New England Prize | Associated Press […]

Detroit Free Press v. U.S. Dept. of Justice (Dec. 23, 2016) Does the Freedom of Information Act require disclosure of booking photos of publicly named, federal indictees who have already appeared in open court? In Re Gawker Media, LLC (Dec. 5, 2016) The liquidation plan in this proceeding contains third-party release and injunction provisions that […]

By Justin Silverman The Massachusetts Senate released this week a bill that could help fix our broken public records law. While the legislation (S.2120) is much stronger than the lackluster proposal by the House last year, the Senate needs to now decide the fate of the many proposed amendments that could drastically affect the future […]