The following blog post is one of several 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 Lia Ernst | NEFAC, ACLU of Vermont It’s been an up-and-down […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently expressed concern over proposed rules that would limit press freedoms in Vermont and prohibit the public from recording what occurs in the state’s open courtrooms. The Vermont Judiciary is considering rules that would prohibit anyone not defined as “media” from video recording or […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce that Michael Donoghue, the coalition’s vice president, will be honored with a national award for his work to protect student journalists in Vermont. Donoghue, a former reporter for the Burlington Free Press, will receive a “Friend of Scholastic Journalism” award from the Journalism Education […]
NEFAC, Media Groups Helped Advocate for Additional Safeguards for Students Reporting on Controversial Topics FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org Vermont Gov. Phil Scott recently signed into law legislation that provides greater First Amendment protections for student journalists and their teachers and advisers. The New England First Amendment Coalition is one […]
By Vermont News First Vermont Gov. Phil Scott recently signed legislation designed to protect journalists from having to give up their confidential sources and prevent government officials from conducting fishing expeditions on what reporters have been told. “A free press is essential to our democracy and this legislation protects the role of journalists as neutral observers,” Scott […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently joined an amici curiae brief in a case that could determine whether public officials in Vermont can skirt the state’s public records law by communicating through private email accounts. The Vermont Supreme Court case, Toensing v. Attorney General […]
“The old provision of secret files, even when there had been a hearing, is just one of several outdated policies,” said Michael Donoghue, NEFAC’s vice president and a former Burlington Free Press staff writer. “Our coalition urged the Vermont Attorney General’s Office not to waste tax dollars trying to defend this policy when Vermont was the only state doing it this way.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Justin Silverman | 774.244.2365 | justin@nefac.org The New England First Amendment Coalition recently testified in support of Vermont legislation that would protect student journalists at public high schools and colleges from being punished by administrators for stories they report. Senate Bill 18 codifies many of the First Amendment protections that already […]
Michael Donoghue, first vice president of the New England First Amendment Coalition and a former reporter for the Burlington Free Press, testified April 4 on behalf of NEFAC and the Vermont Press Association in favor of legislation protecting student journalists in the state. The legislation can be read here. Below are his planned remarks. Thank you […]
The following blog post is one of several 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 Lia Ernst | NEFAC, ACLU of Vermont Sunshine Week largely — and rightly […]