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.

ABOUT NEFAC

2015 MAJOR SUPPORTERS

LEARN ABOUT OUR ANNUAL NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE

NEFAC'S ANNUAL
NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT AWARDS

SUNSHINE WEEK 2015

FILE FREE FOI REQUEST

FOI GUIDES

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.

Submissions can be emailed to: mail@nefirstamendment.org

THE NEFAC REPORT | August 2015

All-Star Faculty Announced for

NEFAI 2015; Applications Due Sept. 4

Joining this year's faculty are Jennifer Berry Hawes, a member of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning team at The Post and Courier; Anna Schecter, a Peabody Award winning producer for NBC; Bill Buzenberg, former executive director of the Center for Public Integrity; Carol Marbin Miller, a senior investigative reporter for the Miami Herald and recent winner of the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting; and Joe Mahr, a 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner now working at the Chicago Tribune. [More] [Application]

With Police Body Camera Legislation, States Need to Remember Importance of Access

Following recent excessive force cases across the country, many states are quickly legislating the use of body-worn cameras for police officers. The National Conference of State Legislatures reported that 34 states, as of May 18, 2015, were considering legislation to address this law enforcement issue. Within New England, states have responded to the technology to different degrees, and in some cases, not at all. [More] [More Coverage]

Victory for First Amendment in Mass. Political Speech Case; NEFAC Filed Amicus

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled earlier this month that a statute criminalizing false campaign speech is unconstitutional, saying that the law "chills the very exchange of ideas that gives meaning to our electoral system." The New England First Amendment Coalition filed an amicus brief in the case last April expressing "grave concerns" over the statute's effect on free speech and press freedoms. [More] [More Coverage]

NEFAC, Media Urge President Obama

to Stop Excessive Controls on Public Info

The organizations sent a letter - drafted by the Society of Professional Journalists - on Aug. 10 urging changes to policies that constrict information flow to the public, including prohibiting journalists from communicating with staff without going through public information offices, requiring government PIOs to vet interview questions and monitoring interviews between journalists and sources. [More]

Statement of MassFOIA On

Sec. Galvin's Public Records Initiative

Secretary William F. Galvin filed this month an initiative petition to revise the state public records law. The Massachusetts Freedom of Information Alliance (MassFOIA), a network of more than 40 groups committed to reforming the state public records law, including the New England First Amendment Coalition, does not support the petition. Rather, we continue to support legislative action - in particular, HB 3665 - as the best avenue for strengthening the law. [More] [More Coverage]

NEFAC Announces Additions to Board; Editor, Publisher and University Dean Join

The New England First Amendment Coalition is pleased to announce the addition of three members to its Board of Directors: Tom Kearney, managing editor of the Stowe Reporter; Naomi Schalit, publisher and senior reporter for the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting; and Yohuru R. Williams, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University. [More]

OTHER FOI AND FIRST AMENDMENT NEWS