The Massachusetts Public Records Law governs the public's
access to government documents and records.
The Supervisor of Public Records, an administrative official
located within the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office, is broadly
responsible for maintaining the Commonwealth's public records and
handles administrative appeals in disputes over whether particular
records are subject to, or are exempt from, the general disclosure
mandate of the Public Records Law. Please see the Secretary of State's
Public Records website.
If a custodian of a public record refuses to comply with an
administrative directive from the Supervisor of Public Records, the
Supervisor may request that the Attorney General "take whatever
measures he deems necessary to insure compliance with the provisions"
of the Public Records Law, Mass. General Laws Chapter. 66, Section
10. When the Attorney General's Office receives such a request from
the Supervisor, the Attorney General makes an independent legal
assessment of the public records dispute and acts accordingly.
For more information on the Attorney General's
responsibilities under the Public Records Law, please call or write the
General Counsel's Office
Office of the Attorney General
One Ashburton Place
Boston MA 02108
617 727-2200
Related Links
* Secretary of State's Public Records Information
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/arcrmu/rmuidx.htm
AG's Public Records Role
http://mass.gov/?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_publicrecords&csid=Cago
http://mass.gov/
?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_publicrecords&csid=Cago
Open Meeting Law
http://mass.gov/?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_open_meeting_law&csid=Cago
http://mass.gov/
?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_open_meeting_law&csid=Cago
The Attorney General enforces the Open Meeting Law
applicable to state governmental bodies.
See Mass. General Laws (M.G.L.) Chapter 30A, Section 11A1/2
http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/30a-11a.5.htm
The purpose of the Open Meeting Law is to eliminate much of the
secrecy surrounding the deliberations and decisions on which public
policy is based.
The means by which secrecy is eliminated, of course, is by requiring
most meetings of governmental bodies to be held in public.
The requirements of the Open Meeting Law grow out of the idea that the
democratic process depends on the public having knowledge about the
considerations underlying governmental action, for without that
knowledge, people are not able to judge the merits of actions taken by
their representatives.
The Legislature has recognized, however, that public officials
might be "unduly hampered" if every discussion among public officials
was required to be open.
As a result, the Open Meeting Law provides for particular
circumstances under which a meeting may be held in executive, or
closed, session.
For information on the open meeting law for cities and towns,
or to report a violation of that law by a city or town,
please contact your local District Attorney's Office.
For questions on the Open Meeting Law, or to report a violation of the
law by a state agency, please contact the General Counsel's Office,
within the Office of Attorney General Martha Coakley, at 617 727-2200
For more comprehensive information, see the
Open Meeting Guidelines available here
http://mass.gov/Cago/docs/Government/openmtgguide.pdf
The Official Website of the Attorney General of Massachusetts
Attorney General Martha Coakley
Home > Government >
http://mass.gov/?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_open_meeting_law&csid=Cago
http://mass.gov/
?pageID=cagoterminal&L=2&L0=Home&L1=Government&sid=Cago&b=terminalcontent&f=government_open_meeting_law&csid=Cago
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