Massachusetts public records bill gets mixed reviews

Under a new bill, Massachusetts would join 47 other states that allow people to recoup legal fees after successfully suing for access to public records.

The legislature’s first move in more than 40 years to update the Massachusetts public records law is getting mixed reviews from some government transparency advocates.

“The House did a good thing by getting the ball rolling on public records reform, and there is a lot of room for the Senate to take this first step and put together a bill that is much stronger in terms of transparency and open government,” said Gavi Wolfe, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Continue…

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