An Act promoting transparency and public access in state government
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, an amendment to House Bill 5469, aims to increase transparency and public access to information held by the state government of Massachusetts. It seeks to expand the scope of records that are automatically disclosed to the public, reducing the need for formal requests. The amendment clarifies existing rules and procedures regarding public records access, ensuring greater accountability from state agencies. Ultimately, the goal is to empower citizens with more readily available information about government operations.
Key provisions
- Expands the definition of ‘public records’ to include certain electronic data.
- Requires state agencies to proactively disclose specific types of information.
- Streamlines the process for requesting public records.
- Clarifies procedures for appealing denials of public records requests.
- Addresses the cost of providing public records.
- Establishes timelines for responding to public records requests.
- Defines ‘electronic data’ for the purpose of public records access.
Who is affected
- The general public of Massachusetts
- State government agencies in Massachusetts
- Massachusetts residents
- Massachusetts taxpayers
- Journalists and media outlets
Notable changes
- Broadens the scope of automatically disclosed records.
Bill text
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