FIRST AMENDMENT
OF U.S. CONSTITUTION
Congress shall make
no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the
Government for a
redress of grievances.
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LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE
KNOWNEWENGLAND.ORG: OUR HUB OF FOI AND PUBLIC RECORD INFORMATION
NEFAC'S ANNUAL NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT AWARDS
FILE FREE FOI REQUEST
FOI GUIDES
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We welcome contributions
to The NEFAC Report from journalists, lawyers, academics
or other advocates of
government transparency. If
you have something to add
to the conversation, please let
us know. Your stories, experiences and commentaries have broad appeal and value.
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NEFAC Joins Sunshine Week Celebration, Calls for FOIA Reform and Local Advocacy
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This national campaign, held this year from March 15-21, was an initiative to promote a dialogue about the importance of transparency and freedom of information. Participants included news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know.
To recognize the occasion, NEFAC and 22 other organizations wrote to the Obama Administration calling for, among other things, improvements to the federal Freedom of Information Act. On the state level, NEFAC announced it partnership with three Massachusetts organizations in an effort to improve that state's public records law.
Each day during Sunshine Week, NEFAC published reports from all New England states, highlighting various freedom of information concerns and initiatives. [More]
NEFAC's Sunshine Week Reports
Sen. Patrick Leahy | U.S. Senate
Dan Barrett | NEFAC and ACLU of Vermont
Steven Brown | ACLU of Rhode Island
James H. Smith | NEFAC and Connecticut Council on FOI
Gregory V. Sullivan | NEFAC and the Loeb School of Communications
Oamshri Amarasingham | ACLU of Maine
Justin Silverman | NEFAC
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Changes to Vt. Open Meeting Law
Would Be a 'Giant Step Backward'
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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 Vermont League of Cities and Towns, which is lobbying for changes that would relax many of the state's current open meeting requirements. Before any changes are considered, however, it's important to acknowledge a few things. [More]
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Massachusetts Governor
Charlie Baker is a Fast Learner
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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," his communications director Tim Buckley told me. This just in: The reexamination has been completed. [More]
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Pass HB 6750 and Rescue Connecticut's Reputation for Transparency Pledge
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I am not exaggerating one iota when I say that failure to enact this remedial legislation will be one of the final nails in the coffin of open and transparent government in Connecticut - a state which originally was considered one of the enlightened pillars of good government, but more recently has earned a reputation as one that tolerates corruption and governmental misconduct. [More]
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When Requesting Public Records,
Don't Forget Personal Email Accounts
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NEFAC Concerned About Criminal Record Access in Mass., Withholding of Arrest Info
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Alliance Urges Passage of Mass.
Public Records Modernization Bill
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United under the banner of the Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance (MassFOIA), open-government groups urged the state legislature to quickly pass recently filed legislation intending to modernize and rationalize the Massachusetts public records law. Those groups include NEFAC, the ACLU of Massachusetts, Common Cause Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, and the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. [More]
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NEFAC Calls for Correctional System Transparency, Reintroduction of PPI Act
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Boston Globe Subscribers Can Help NEFAC Promote Open Government
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Subscribers will be receiving, or have already received, in the mail a voucher provided by The Boston Globe through its annual GRANT program. Seven-day newspaper subscribers will receive vouchers valued at $100 and all other subscribers will receive vouchers valued at $50. These vouchers can then be mailed back to The Boston Globe with the name of a non-profit. Those organizations with the highest amount of donations will be given free advertising in the newspaper. [More]
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OTHER FOI AND FIRST AMENDMENT NEWS
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National
Clinton, Private Email Disclosure
Connecticut
UConn Foundation, Transparency HB 6750, Arrest Information
Maine
Massachusetts
Public Records Law Reform, HB 2772
Access to Criminal Records
New Hampshire
Open Meetings, Free Speech Governor, Public Record Access HB 646, Public Record Search Fees Rhode Island Vermont |
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