Sunshine Week 2019
Op/Eds
• Sunshine Week: A Reminder That Public Records Belong to Us All | Richard C. Gagliuso, NEFAC
• Public Officials Must Be Transparent at All Times | Jim Condos, Vt. Secretary of State
• ‘A Democracy Hidden From the People is No Democracy At All’ | Patrick Leahy, U.S. Senator from Vermont
Commentary
• Under the Golden Dome: Where Lawmakers Stand on Public Records Law | Daily Hampshire Gazette
• Journalists Put ‘the Public’ in Public Records | IRW
• Panelists at Brown See Increased Attacks By Officials | The Providence Journal
• Journalists Advocate for Freedom of Speech | The Brown Daily Herald
• Nominating State’s Judges Starts in the Dark | Cape Cod Times
Events
The New England First Amendment Coalition will be participating in several presentations and discussions to honor Sunshine Week, a national celebration of the citizen’s right to know about government.
The goal of Sunshine Week — March 10-16 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.
All events are free and open to the public. Registration may be required.
MARCH 11
Panel Discussion: New Hampshire Right to Know Law
6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Nackey S. Loeb School
749 E. Industrial Park Drive
Manchester, N.H.
Speakers include:
HON. N. WILLIAM DELKER Associate Justice for the New Hampshire Superior Court | LISA ENGLISH Assistant N.H. Attorney General, Chief of the Civil Division | GILLES BISSONNETTE Legal Director, American Civil Liberties Union, New Hampshire | STEVEN A. BOLTON Corporation Counsel, City of Nashua | MARK HAYWARD Investigative Reporter for the New Hampshire Union Leader | GREGORY V. SULLIVAN (moderator) Board Member of NEFAC and the Nackey Loeb School, Corporate Counsel to the Union Leader Corp. | DAVID TAYLOR Vice President, Right to Know New Hampshire
Coverage
• Sunshine Week – Right to Know NH Bills | Right to Know NH
• Your Right to Know is Vital to Freedom | Union Leader
(left to right) Mark Hayward, David Taylor, Gregory V. Sullivan, Lisa English, the Hon. William Delker, and Gilles Bissonette.
MARCH 16
MuckRock Presents: Transparency Science Fair
1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Oficio
30 Newbury Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, Mass.
The transparency-themed science fair (think booths, interactive exhibits, prizes and swag) is free and open to the public.
Registration is required and can be completed here.
Also presenting are the ACLU of Massachusetts, Emerson Engagement Lab and the Boston Institute of Nonprofit Journalism, among others.
(left to right) Transparency Fair attendees gather around the various exhibits; Justin Silverman, NEFAC’s executive director, in front of the coalition’s exhibit.
MARCH 23
Learn from the Experts: How to Use Rhode Island’s Public Records and Open Meeting Laws
10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Chace Center, RISD Museum
20 North Main Street
Providence, R.I.
Registration is required and can be completed here.
Speakers include:
EDWARD FITZPATRICK (moderator) Former Reporter and Columnist for The Providence Journal | DAN MCGOWAN Digital Reporter for WPRI-Providence | AMANDA MILKOVITS Reporter for The Providence Journal | ETHAN SHOREY Editor at the Valley Breeze
(left to right) Amanda Milkovits, Edward Fitzpatrick, Dan McGowan and Ethan Shorey.
Coverage
• In Rhode Island, It’s More Like ‘Sunshine: Weak’
