Our View: Lawmakers must pass modest public records bill

http://www.heraldnews.com/article/20150722/OPINION/150728599/0/breaking_ajax



The Massachusetts Municipal Association has asked its members to call legislators in opposition. We call on you to lobby your legislators in support of the proposed public records law.

Our View: Lawmakers must pass modest public records bill
Posted Jul. 22, 2015 at 4:48 PM
Updated Jul 22, 2015 at 5:06 PM

The Massachusetts Municipal Association, the lobbying group that represents cities and towns, seems to have forgotten that city and town leaders represent the people of Massachusetts.

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In a state widely regarded as having the weakest public records law in the nation — in the nation! — the bill offers only modest tweaks to address deficiencies in the law. In fact, it even extends the amount of time agencies have to comply with a request, upping it from 10 days to 15. The bill also seeks to reduce copying fees — which some agencies disingenuously claim can cost upwards of tens of thousands of dollars — and require those agencies to pay attorney’s fees if a judge decides public records were wrongly withheld from the public. It would also require each office to assign one person as the point person when requests are made.

The bill doesn’t address the fact that the Legislature itself is exempt from the public records law. True reform would include the Legislature, governor’s office and judiciary in the public records law. True reform would also make the personnel records of public employees public. Too often, the public can’t gain access to information about why a public employee was punished or fired — even when it involves a school employee working with children.

We support Kocot’s bill but recognize it’s only a modest start to a necessary overhaul of the public records law. But passage requires the public’s voice.