No more delays on public records reform!

No more delays on public records reform!

We have waited long enough in Massachusetts for public records reform. It is time for the legislature to vote!

It’s officially mid-September. Vacation is over, kids are in school again, and we’re back to work. Before the Massachusetts legislature left for their August recess, they were supposed to vote on our 21st century public records reform bill, but they put it off thanks to aggressive opposition by those that would prefer to keep the public in the dark. We believe it’s now time for real reform!

A fix to our state’s freedom of information law is long overdue – it is outdated and broken. The last time it was substantially updated was 1973, before computers were around and there was no possibility of electronic documents.

This is especially important in a time when transparency, such as in law enforcement, is so crucial. When the public needs to know what their government is doing, prohibitively expensive costs should not block their access to records. And when bad apples refuse to comply with the law and deny rightful access, we need an enforcement mechanism with real “teeth” to ensure compliance!

Every day the legislature waits to act, the shadowy forces of bureaucratic secrecy attempt to weaken these reforms in our bill. That’s why we’re asking you to help us ensure a vote is brought up now.

The longer politicians delay, the harder the fight becomes. We know what reforms are needed. The bill has been written and approved in committee. Now all real change needs is a floor vote without watering down the bill.

Let’s make it happen together.