Pioneer Institute Applauds Secretary Galvin’s Legislation to Subject Governor’s Office to Public Records Law, Calls for End to Legislative Exemption

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on
LinkedIn
+

Pioneer Institute applauds Secretary of State William Galvin for filing legislation that would subject the governor’s office to the Commonwealth’s public records law.  Since 1997, Massachusetts governors have broadly interpreted the Supreme Judicial Court’s ruling in Lambert v. Judicial Nominating Council to shield themselves from releasing certain documents.  Secretary Galvin’s legislation would prohibit future governors from doing so.

Pioneer has long requested that Governor Baker formally extend his administration’s public records reform efforts to his own office through means such as an executive order or a gubernatorial memorandum.

“The Massachusetts governor’s office is the only one in the nation to claim a blanket exemption from public records laws,” said Pioneer Director of Government Transparency and COO Mary Connaughton.  “Secretary Galvin’s legislation is an important step toward a more free and open government that the Commonwealth’s citizens deserve.”

The next step in bringing transparency to state government would be to further extend applicability of the public records law to the legislature and administrative operations of the judiciary.  The law currently applies to all of state and local government except the legislature.  As with the governor’s office, broad interpretations of court rulings have led to the judiciary being exempted.

Get Updates on Our Pioneer Public Initiatives!

Related Posts:

Galvin Wants $70 to Show He Fought For Transparency

/
On several occasions, both MuckRock and the Pioneer Institute…

Sunshine Must Return to MBTA This Spring

/
What began as a benign winter, accumulating only 2.9 inches before…

When Will Commuter Rail Return to Full Service?

/
March 30th can’t come soon enough for commuter rail riders,…

Pioneer’s Transparency Update: Sunshine Week Edition

/
To some, it may seem insignificant in that police departments…

Introducing MassAnalysis: Online tool for comparing communities

/
Want to benchmark your community against its peers? Want to bring…

Will MBTA Win Back Riders?

/
Yesterday the MBTA Board of Directors approved a plan to compensate…

Help Us Sift through the MBTA’s Contract with Keolis

/
Last March, French transportation company Keolis won a $2.6 billion…

How an Obscure Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Ruling Crippled Public Records Law

/
Who's buried in Grant's tomb? What color was Napoleon's white…

Our Transparency Resolutions for 2015

/
A new year lies ahead, and with it comes new opportunities to…