By Jim Campbell Maine has had a strong Freedom of Access Act for over 20 years. Although there are exceptions to the Act, as a general principle the FOAA provides that “public proceedings exist to aid in the conduct of the people’s business.” Under FOAA, actions of the legislature should “be taken openly and . . […]
Below is an op/ed co-written for The Providence Journal by Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition; Linda Lotridge Levin, president of Access/RI; Steven Brown, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island; John Marion, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island; and Jane W. Koster, president of […]
By Jim Condos Records management is not exactly an exciting topic, but when a particular record is the focus of a request or controversy, it becomes critically important in that moment. Those records are owned by the state of Vermont and are incredibly valuable for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are […]
By Mollie Heintzelman Throughout the last century, newspapers played a pivotal role in defending press freedoms and shaping First Amendment jurisprudence. Think New York Times v. Sullivan or Miami Herald v. Tornillo. Cases such as these helped reinforce the rights news organizations now enjoy. But with technology changing the legal landscape and challenging the First […]
By Michael Donoghue The Vermont legislature is about to finalize how long government boards have to post drafts of meeting minutes on their websites. For about 40 years, the law has required that such drafts be available to the public within five calendar days. Last year, the legislature adopted without any objections the same standard for posting them on […]
By James H. Smith What is it now that we can’t find out in the land of the free, in this cradle of democracy we call Connecticut? Too much stays secret. Our collective memory of Ella Grasso is fading. In a state college classroom recently, not one student knew who she was. You may remember she […]
By Robert A. Bertsche In the midst of a presidential campaign season that is notable for its uncivil discourse, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court last month issued a ruling confirming what we already knew: that “crooked Hillary” and “lyin’ Ted” don’t have a legal claim against Donald Trump for name-calling. No, Clinton and Cruz did not […]
By Amanda Palmeira The New England First Amendment Coalition recently hosted a panel discussion on Connecticut’s public records law and the use of body cameras by law enforcement. It highlighted the often contentious balancing of privacy and transparency interests. Titled “Caught on Camera: The FOI Fallout from Police Cameras,” the April 8 discussion was part of the Making […]
Below is an op/ed written for The Providence Journal by NEFAC board members Karen Bordeleau and Tim White, and Justin Silverman, the coalition’s executive director. The column can also be read here. A recent Rhode Island Supreme Court ruling will have government watchdogs scratching their heads and chasing their tails. In a state infamous for […]
The following blog post is one of six that the New England First Amendment Coalition will publish during Sunshine Week, highlighting the need for government transparency and addressing freedom of information concerns throughout the New England states. When posted, these articles can be read here. By David Saad Right to Know New Hampshire Today is the last […]