The New England First Amendment Coalition is continuing the fight to make hybrid access to government meetings required in Massachusetts.
NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman explained during an Oct. 14 state legislative hearing that:
“Everyone in the Commonwealth should have the same opportunities to engage with their government and to make sure their voices are being heard. This bill would allow everyone — not just those who have the time and means to travel or those who enjoy reliable Internet access — but everyone an opportunity to engage with government in the way that works for them. It’s what’s equitable and fair and what’s needed to make our democracy work.”
Silverman and other open government advocates appeared before the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight in support of House Bill 3299. The bill would require state and local government bodies subject to the open meeting law to provide both in-person and remote access to the public.
In his testimony, Silverman also stressed the value of hybrid meetings to local journalists and their newsrooms. He told the committee that:
“This legislation will help journalists do their jobs and will improve local news coverage across the board. It will help the readers, listeners and viewers who don’t attend public meetings but who instead depend on local reporters to inform them about what they’re missing. And it will help the rest of us who would like to be represented at government meetings but due to a lack of access find ourselves on the outside looking in.”
Read or view Silverman’s full testimony. You can also learn about NEFAC’s previous and ongoing efforts to improve access to government through hybrid meetings here.
NEFAC is the region’s leading advocate for First Amendment freedoms and the public’s right to know about government. Learn more about the coalition’s work and the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.
NEFAC was formed in 2006 to advance and protect the Five Freedoms of the First Amendment, including the principle of the public’s right to know. We’re a broad-based organization of people who believe in the power of an informed democratic society. Our members include lawyers, journalists, historians, academics and private citizens.
Our coalition is funded through contributions made by those who value the First Amendment and who strive to keep government accountable. Please make a donation here.
NEFAC appreciates the support of all its donors and contributors. In particular, we would like to recognize the Estate of Gloria L. Negri, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the following Leadership Circle donors: Rhode Island Foundation, The Boston Globe, Paul and Ann Sagan, and the Robertson Foundation. Major Supporters of NEFAC’s work include Hearst Connecticut Media Group, Boston University, the Academy of New England Journalists and WCVB-Boston.