Harrington Admits Town Violating Permanent Public Records Laws

Harrington Admits Town Violating Permanent Public Records Laws

By: Tom Duggan – July, 2015 Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington has once again violated state laws governing public records. This time, laws governing the retention of public records as part of a lawsuit. The lawsuit in question was filed by the Tomaselli sisters. Harrington is claiming that permanent documents being sought by Gracemarie and […]

Fighting to Change Massachusetts’ Fake Public Records Law

Fighting to Change Massachusetts’ Fake Public Records Law

  Massachusetts Legislators, members of the media and 1st amendment advocates testified last month before a joint House and Senate committee on Beacon Hill, asking legislators to add penalties to the state’s fake public records law. The law, MGL Ch. 66, states that the keeper of records in any municipality or public agency must turn over public […]

Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington is The Poster Boy for Why We Need a New Public Records Law

Salisbury Town Manager Neil Harrington is The Poster Boy for Why We Need a New Public Records Law

  NEIL HARRINGTON IS THE POSTER BOY When I started this journey to reform our state’s public records law five years ago I had no idea that the Town of Salisbury would feature so prominently in my motivations to add stiff penalties for officials who refuse to turn over public documents. Yet, here we are. […]

Public Records Should Be Made Available to the Public – IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

Public Records Should Be Made Available to the Public – IN YOUR CORNER WITH SENATOR IVES

By: State Senator Katy Ives – June, 2015 Last week, I testified on a bill I filed, S.1700, An Act Relative to Obtaining Information, before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight. This bill promotes access to information, available to all, within a reasonable time frame and for residents to have recourse in […]

Podcast: State Senator Jamie Eldridge on Public Records in MA, Top Ten “That’s NOT News” (6-6-15)

Podcast: State Senator Jamie Eldridge on Public Records in MA, Top Ten “That’s NOT News” (6-6-15)

FIRST HOUR State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) appeared on The Paying Attention radio program on 980WCAP to talk about public records. A great interview with a guy SECOND HOUR: Top Ten news stories this week that are NOT real news.  

Valley Patriot Publisher on Public Records in Massachusetts and How it Affects You

Valley Patriot Publisher on Public Records in Massachusetts and How it Affects You

AUDIO: Tom Duggan on Afternoon LIVE discusses the state’s impotent Public Records law and how it affects you.  (VIDEO of Duggan’s testimony below at 41 MIN mark) Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan testified before a sub committee of the Massachusetts State Legislature in favor of a bill he wrote S1700 that would finally put teeth into […]

Public Records Should Be Accessible with Penalties for Failure To Comply

Public Records Should Be Accessible with Penalties for Failure To Comply

By: Senator Katy Ives – March 2014 Given this is The Valley Patriot’s 10th year anniversary special edition, I would like to highlight legislation in the State House especially relevant to freedom of the press. Government should have transparency and accountability and the only way to ensure that this is occurring is to have access. […]

Joint Committee Supports Reforming State Public Records Law, Add Penalties for Officials Who Refuse to Release Public Records

March 16, 2014 The days of public officials refusing to comply with the state’s public records law are almost over. So says State Senator Kathleen O’Connor Ives (D), Newburyport who told the Valley Patriot on Wednesday that a Massachusetts joint House and Senate Committee on Public Administration has given a favorable recommendation to House Bill H2846, an […]

Parties Unify on Public Records in Massachusetts!

Parties Unify on Public Records in Massachusetts!

By: Tom Duggan While the Democrat leadership on Beacon Hill has blocked any attempt by Republican Legislators to change the Massachusetts Public Records Law (M.G.L. Ch. 66), a revolt among Democrats has caused a tidal wave to build in both the House and the Senate where rank and file members of both parties are calling […]

Getting Answers is like Pulling Teeth – Steve Grossman Back Peddles on Public Records Law

Getting Answers is like Pulling Teeth – Steve Grossman Back Peddles on Public Records Law

  By: Tom Duggan – January 29, 2013 Three years ago when Steve Grossman was just a candidate for Massachusetts State Treasurer he was a real person. When asked questions about simple concepts like “shouldn’t all laws carry a penalty for violating them?” he was eager to openly discuss his thoughts on the way government […]

Rep. DiZoglio To Tackle Enforcement of State’s Public Records Law

Rep. DiZoglio To Tackle Enforcement of State’s Public Records Law

By: Tom Duggan – January 8, 2013 What do you call it when the legislature passes a law but they purposely don’t impose any penalties for violating that law? Well if you live in Massachusetts you would call it the Public Records law, or MGL Chapter 66.  Now Sate Representative Diana DiZoglio says the first […]

Legislators Stand With The Valley Patriot on Public Records Law

Legislators Stand With The Valley Patriot on Public Records Law

Local Legislators to File Bill Adding Penalties to Public Records Law Violators   By: Tom Duggan – October 17, 2012 (2:30pm) TOWN HALL, NORTH ANDOVER, MA  During a press conference today endorsing Karin Rhoton for the 14th Essex Rep. seat, Rhoton, Senator Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R) Gloucester, Representative Brad Hill (R) Ipswich, and Representative Brad Jones […]