Maybe positions in the new office could be titled
Administrative Judge.

Please send along remarks, talking points that I can mention when
writing or calling my legislators' offices
Representitive Timothy J. Toomey Jr. and
Senate President Robert E. Travaglini.

  > http://listserv.syr.edu/archives/foi-l.html
  >      The open meeting bills you mention were filed
  > by Rep. Broadhurst on behalf of my organization, the
  > Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association.
  > 
  > Rep. Cabral, the House chair of the Joint Committee on
  > State Administration and Regulatory Oversight,
  > revised and consolidated them into a single bill,
  > now HB 4809.
  > 
  > The Joint Committee reported it out on
  > March 28 and it is now with House Ways and Means.
  > 
  >      The bill would establish
  > civil fines for officials who violate the open meeting law.
  > 
  > It took out our additional proposal for criminal penalties.
  > 
  > It also clarifies the law's application to
  > electronic meetings and ties up other
  > loose ends in the current law.
  > 
  > One noteworthy provision added by Rep. Cabral would create an
  > Office of Public Accountability within the
  > attorney general's office, and within that office an
  > Open Meeting Law Board to
  > review all complaints related to the open meeting law.
  > -- Bob Ambrogi
  > Robert J. Ambrogi, Esq., Executive Director
  > Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association
  > 16 McKay's Drive
  > Rockport MA 01966
  > 978 546-3400
  > Cell 978 317-0972
  > Fax 978 418-9161
  > http://listserv.syr.edu/archives/foi-l.html

Sent-From: State and Local Freedom of Information Issues 
http://listserv.syr.edu/archives/foi-l.html
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Don Saklad
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 8:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Massachusetts legislation

What legislation is pending regarding foi public records 
principles, sunshine open public meetings, open government?...

There are quite a few pieces pending, many are destined to 
die in committee though.

I don't have all of the bill numbers but there should be 
available on the general court's website http://mass.gov/legis/

There are five or six on open meeting filed by Rep. 
Broadhurst - Andover (with Atty. Peter Caruso - counsel to 
Lawrence Eagle Tribune and many north shore papers),

we have HB3483 http://mass.gov/legis/
seeking to expand our authority to
get records from custodians without AG assistance and

there are four or five bills trying to create new exemptions 
to disclosure ranging from industrial accident reports, to

state and municipal employee addresses to personnel files...

it is a full time job trying to keep up with all of the 
attacks on FOI through the legislative process!
Alan N. Cote, First Deputy Secretary 
Supervisor of Records
Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
617 727-2832
alan.cote at state.ma.us

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