Fwd: 5/26: Hearing on Public Records bill

[Adam Friedman]

Hey all,

This bill to update the public records law in MA is fundamental to what we all care about. I hope you can join me next week and pack the hearing room. Get there early if you want to sign up to speak. If you can't make it, you can still submit written testimony to the committee by sending an email to: carolyn...@mahouse.gov

WHAT:
State House committee on administration and oversight is taking public comments on bill H.2772, which will strengthen MA's public records laws, which are currently some of the weakest in the nation.

WHEN:

Tue May 26th

10:45 - Debrief

11:00 - Hearing

WHERE:

MA State House, Hearing Room B-1

Further research:

 - H.2772 ACLU-MA Fact Sheet

 - H.2772 Bill Text

 - Worcester-Telegram article on state's sordid public records laws

See also: Common Cause action alert below...

Adam Friedman
617.784.8993

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eric Kashdan <eric.d....@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, May 19, 2015 at 1:02 PM
Subject: Fwd: Public Records Hearing on May 26th!
To: Adam Friedman <amfri...@gmail.com>

Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Pam Wilmot, Common Cause Massachusetts" <Caus...@commoncause.org>
Date: May 19, 2015 at 12:00:04 PM EDT
To: eric.d....@gmail.com
Subject: Public Records Hearing on May 26th!
Reply-To: "Pam Wilmot, Common Cause Massachusetts" <Caus...@commoncause.org>

View Web version Dear Eric, The Massachusetts public records law is broken.  All too often, citizens and journalists who request public records are denied access or charged outrageous sums in order to get them.  There are so many stories about unlawful government actions on public records. For example, the city of Lowell refused to turn over the name of the snowplow company that hit the car of a resident and just last week, the state ethics commission proposed charging the Boston Globe $15,000 for access to public forms they administer. Why are agencies ignoring the law? Because it has no teeth. We cannot let this stand. Please join us at a hearing for legislation (H.2772) that would fix the broken public records law at 11am on Tuesday May 26th  in Room B-1 of the Massachusetts State House. Your presence and/or your own story will help us reform the law. Transparency is a critical tool that citizens and journalists use to hold government accountable. We can’t let excessive costs, outdated technology, and bureaucratic hurdles continue to block citizens from shining a light on potential problems in our state.  The law hasn't been substantially updated since 1973, and we think it's time for 21st century reform. Join us at the hearing, or fill out a survey about your own experiences. Both will help us fix the law! It is every citizens’ right to know what their government is up to, and our outdated law has infringed on that right for too long.  With your help, we can make this reform happen. It will take a lot to ensure information flows freely and honestly, but it will be worth the effort for the health of our democracy. Thank you for all you do, Pam Wilmot and the rest of the team at Common Cause Massachusetts Subscribe Manage Your Subscription Unsubscribe 14 Beacon Street, Suite 421 Boston, MA 02108 617.426.9600