June 3, 2016 Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a public records reform bill Friday, after a joint conference committee of the Massachusetts legislature negotiated and reached a final deal on final language of the bill. For the first time in the state’s history, members of the public and the press will be able to hold […]
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4333 5-23-16 On Monday, a joint conference committee of the Massachusetts legislature negotiated and reached a final deal on a new public records reform bill for the first time in 40 years. CHANGES TO THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW If signed by Governor Baker, the new law, (Final BillH4333) , would allow judges to award legal costs and attorney […]
RELATED STORIES The Massachusetts State Senate unanimously passed sweeping reforms of the state’s impotent public records law last month. Senate Bill 2120, “An Act Improving the Administration and Enforcement of Public Records Law”. The law will make sweeping changes to MGL Ch. 66, which currently states that public agencies and municipalities must turn over public […]
By: Senator Katy Ives – Jan. 2016 There have been a number of important legislative developments toward tackling public records reform. This month’s column is an opportunity to describe the status of public records legislation in the effort to produce meaningful public records reform this session. At the onset, Senator Jason Lewis filed S.1676, which […]
By: Maria Fiato. Christine Ryan, and Tom Duggan Nov. 23, 2015 MASSACHUSETTS – After nearly five years of trying to get the Massachusetts legislature to reform the state’s impotent public records law, Valley Patriot publisher Tom Duggan says that they have made a good first step towards holding public officials accountable for not turning over […]
Last month the Massachusetts Legislature delayed a scheduled vote on a public records reform bill after getting pressure from the very politicians who will have to pay the price for concealing such public documents. The Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA) initially opposed the public records reform bill, but after realizing there was too much momentum in […]
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 […]
July 16, 2015 BOSTON – Next Wednesday, the state’s public records law will be one step closer to being a real law with real penalties, after forty years of being merely a suggestion for public officials to turn over public documents when requested. MGL Ch. 66 mandates that public agencies turn over public documents within ten […]
By: Bharani Padmanabhan – June, 2015 This month, Valley Patriot Publisher Tom Duggan was front and center in this state’s media environment for a couple of days. Most media people referred to him by name except for Dan Kennedy who refused to do so while using Tom’s testimony to support the new public records bill. Tom had […]
By: State Rep. Linda Dean Campbell June, 2015 Massachusetts gets an F grade for access to public records according to some very respected public interest groups. A number of bills have been filed to change this including legislation filed by Senator Ives and co-sponsored by both Representative DiZoglio and myself. As a member of the […]
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 […]
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 […]
VALLEY PATRIOT EDITORIAL Four years ago our impotent Attorney General Martha Coakley prosecuted State Treasurer Tim Cahill for running state lottery commercials with our tax money while he was running for governor. State law prohibits elected officials from using tax dollars for advertising 60 days before an election if their name appears on the ballot. […]