Massachusetts: New State Police policy keeps drivers’ names secret

Kelly Young was driving down Route 28 when a sedan traveling in the other direction rear ended another car and veered into Young's lane, hitting his car head on, police say.

Young, 56, a father of two and son of a former state lawmaker, died from his injuries.  Continue>>>

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Massachusetts: Governor Baker unveils new rules for public records requests

Governor Charlie Baker unveiled sweeping new rules Thursday for how the executive branch will handle public records requests. Previously, every agency had its own procedure for handling requests.

The move comes as several state agencies have come under fire for the way they handle requests.  Continue>>>

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In Mass., public financial disclosure reports are not so public

At least 29 states post financial disclosure reports for lawmakers and other public officials on the Web, making it easy to see their investments and potential sources of conflicts with a few clicks. Most other states make the filings readily available for free to those who show up in person.

But not Massachusetts, which has set up a virtual gantlet to see the filings, even though the whole point of collecting the financial information is to inform the public.

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Brockton City Council cleared of violating Open Meeting Law

The state has found that the City Council did not violate Open Meeting Law when meeting in private about a $68 million power plant lawsuit.

The Attorney General’s office ruled last week that the council appropriately entered into executive session last winter to discuss the federal lawsuit and the possibility of a settlement.

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Editorial: A citizens’ guide to the Massachusetts Open Meeting Law

Two spokespeople from the Attorney General’s Office came to the Sharon Community Center on March 26 to hold a free educational forum on the Open Meeting Law. Here is an overview of what Sharon citizens need to know:

The state’s Open Meeting Law (OML) ensures public access to the work being done by boards and commissions by requiring sufficient advanced notice of meetings, open deliberation during those meetings, and public access to those meetings, according to the attorney general’s office.

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