The following blog post is one of seven 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 James H. Smith The sun isn’t shining brightly on law […]

The following blog post is one of seven 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 Steven Brown Rhode Island got around to passing an Access […]

The following blog post is one of seven 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 Dan Barrett Vermont is a small place with just 620,000 […]

The following blog post is one of seven 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 Patrick Leahy Sunshine Week is a time to celebrate one […]

By Mitchell Pearlman I have been following closely the progress — or perhaps more accurately, the lack of progress — of HB 6750, An Act Expanding the Requirement for Disclosure of Arrest Records during a Pending Prosecution under the Freedom of Information Act. I am not exaggerating one iota when I say that failure to […]

By Colman M. Herman During Charlie Baker’s bid for governor last year, I asked his campaign if Baker were elected would he, like his predecessor, Gov. Deval Patrick, make the claim that he’s not covered by the Massachusetts public records law. “Charlie . . . will reexamine the practices regarding public records requests when elected,” […]

By Tom Kearney The Vermont Senate and House Committees on Government Operations discussed last month a proposal to change the state’s open meeting law, allowing more time to post documents online and banning penalties against some public bodies even if they intentionally violate the law. The bill, S.114, is the result of concerns by the […]

The New England First Amendment Coalition‘s James H. Smith provided testimony this week to the Connecticut General Assembly Government, Administration and Elections Committee, which is considering three bills of First Amendment and right-to-know interest. Smith joined NEFAC’s Board of Directors last year and is currently the president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information. He […]

By Scott Dolan At first I was confused when Judge Jeffrey Moskowitz issued his order banning news reporters from reporting anything witnesses said in the criminal case against a well-known Maine attorney. But the judge said it again when I stood in the courtroom and asked him to clarify. Did he mean to restrict the […]

By James H. Smith  Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy, Lieutenant Gov. Nancy Wyman and state Comptroller Kevin Lembo — a card-carrying FOI advocate — have signed the Freedom of Information Pledge proffered by the non-profit advocacy group Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information. It took several weeks for Malloy to decide to sign on. Lembo asked […]