Democracy depends on transparency. Without full information about what our public officials are doing, we cannot intelligently exercise our right to vote. Transparency is essential for accountability -- so if necessary, WE ARE ABLE TO “T’ROW DA BUMS OUT!”
Blog Summary Widget
Massachusetts Public Record Law
Massachusetts Open Meeting Law
As amended by 2009 state ethics bill
Attorney General’s Guidelines to Open Meeting Law
Middlesex District Attorney’s Guidelines to Open Meeting Law
These may now be amended per the ethics bill.
Note that the state legislature passed public record and open meeting laws to apply to city, county and to other state agencies, but they exempted the legislature itself! Jennifer Callahan has filed a bill to make the legislature subject to these laws, which has not been passed. Call your state senator and representative and ask them to support it!
Other relevant links:
Northeastern University First Amendment Center
http://sunshineboston.blogspot.com/
New England 1st Amendment Center
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Mass. Rules of Civil Procedure
Media Law blog: Freedom of the Press
Mass. Anti-SLAPP statute
TRANSPARENCY
I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.
Abraham Lincoln
