Sunshine Week Round Up: Public Records Reform in Massachusetts
Sunshine Week Round Up: Public Records Reform in Massachusetts
It’s officially Sunshine Week – a national celebration established by the Associated Press to promote open government and transparency through heightened news coverage of these issues and a concentrated push for freedom of information.
We already detailed our plans for Sunshine Week in Massachusetts, including advocating for 21st century public records reform, legislative rules reform, and campaign finance disclosure. We just wanted to take this additional opportunity to share some more work that is being done and highlight the broad enthusiasm that exists for reform in the commonwealth.
In particular, we’re seeing an unprecedented outpouring of support for public records reform this year, and so we’ve put together this ongoing list of news on the movement. Keep checking back for more!
You can also check out the work of our Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance partners, the ACLU of Massachusetts, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, and the New England First Amendment Coalition.
Common Cause Work:
Mass. Freedom of Information Coalition Sunshine Week Press Release
Common Cause Massachusetts Statement on Withholding of Police Records
4 Times Public Records Law Failed in Massachusetts
Join hundreds of other activists, petition for 21st Century Public Records Reform!
Legislative Support
Op-ed by the Sponsors of MA Public Records Reform Bill
Newspaper Editorials
Boston Herald Editorial – Time for Sunshine
Patriot Ledger Editorial Supporting Public Records Reform
The Cape Cod Times joins other media in fight against public records law ruling
Boston Globe Editorial – With Mass Public Records Law in Tatters, It’s Time for Reform
Lowell Sun Editorial – Strengthen Mass. Public Records Law
Taunton Daily Gazette – Make All Public Criminal Records Public
Berkshire Eagle – Let Sun Shine Upon Records Laws in State
Worcester Telegram and Gazette – Public Access Imperiled
Daily Hampshire Gazette – Proposed records reform gives citizens their due
Eagle Tribune – Public records law needs improvements
Gloucester Times – Mass. must offer more practical access to public records
Wilmington Town Crier – Alliance urges passage of Mass. Public Records Modernization
There have also been editorials supporting public records reform in every GateHouse Media publication in Massachusetts, which includes the numerous WickedLocal outlets and more!
Additional Media Coverage
State Rep. Peter Kocot of Northampton files legislation to reform state’s Public Records Law
Mass. Bills Target Barriers to Public Records
Wicked Local Somerset – PoliBeat Roundup
Boston Globe Column – Bill Galvin Should Worry About Public Records, Not Primary Funding
Boston Globe – Massachusetts’ Problem with Transparency
Letter – Northeastern University Journalism Faculty Calls for Public Records Reform
Associated Press – Group Pushes to Update Massachusetts Public Records Law
Boston.Com – How Massachusetts Keeps Secrets From You
The Inquirer and Mirror – Shining the light on public-records access
Newburyport News – Strengthening our state’s weak public records law
Telegram and Gazette – Shine on? State’s public records laws among nation’s worst