NEFAC REPORT | March 2019
MAJOR SUPPORTERS
SUNSHINE WEEK 2019
The goal of Sunshine Week — March 10-16 with related events occurring throughout the month — is to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.

Participants include news media, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools and others interested in the public’s right to know. NEFAC celebrated with a series of op/eds, commentary in local news publications and several transparency-themed events.
Commentary
Events
Op/Eds
The legislation could, NEFAC warned, “give unilateral authority to law enforcement to keep secret all records gathered in nearly every criminal case.”

Bill No. 970 covers “[p]roperty seized in connection with a criminal arrest or seized pursuant to a search warrant without an arrest” and exempts this “property” from disclosure under the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

It’s not clear, however, whether the term “property” refers to just those physical items seized or whether it also includes any record describing that property, such as an inventory, NEFAC explained in comments submitted to the Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary. [...]

Additional Coverage


The New England First Amendment Coalition and the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition expressed concern today about how citizens will access a new digital court record system in Maine.

The Maine state judiciary announced in June that it will begin posting its court records online. The proposed rules are intended to provide a framework for how the online record system is maintained and how access to digital records will be provided to the public.

In addition to specific changes they would like to see in the rules, the organizations endorsed “a policy of maximum reasonable public access to Maine court records and proceedings." [...]

The New England First Amendment Coalition is sponsoring two seats at the upcoming five-day Data+Narrative storytelling workshop at Boston University.

The seats are reserved exclusively for past attendees of NEFAC’s New England First Amendment Institute. The workshop helps individuals of all backgrounds better engage audiences through powerful data-driven stories.

NEFAC will be selecting two former institute fellows to attend the June 3-7 program without any tuition or fees required, a more than $2,000 value. Those selected are responsible for their own lodging and transportation, if needed. [...]

The New England First Amendment Coalition recently argued for access to information about how much revenue retailers earn from the federal nutrition assistance program, SNAP.

NEFAC and 36 media organizations submitted on March 25 an amicus brief — drafted by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press — in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media .

The case, to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court next month, involves Exemption 4 of the federal Freedom of Information Act. The court’s decision could affect journalists throughout the country and in New England. [...]

SPONSORED
UPCOMING NEFAC PRESENTATIONS

APRIL 6
Society of Professional Journalists Regional Conference
Northeastern University | Boston, Mass.

APRIL 29
Rochambeau Library | Providence, R.I.

MAY 3
New England Scholastic Press Association | Boston University

MAY 15
Leominster Public Library | Leominster, Mass.

MAY 23
Southworth Public Library | Dartmouth, Mass.

JUNE 6
Wanskuck Library | Providence, R.I.

REGIONAL/NATIONAL

Campus Speech


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CONNECTICUT



MAINE



MASSACHUSETTS

Public Records Reform


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NEW HAMPSHIRE



RHODE ISLAND

Police Records, APRA


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VERMONT

Jay Peak EB-5 Records


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