PORTLAND – The Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday vacated an Aroostook County Superior Court decision calling for the public disclosure of an investigative report about the Madawaska School Department. The 4-3 split decision negates an earlier ruling by Superior Court Justice Allen Hunter, who… Read More
The latest survey of compliance with Maine’s open records law has found that police departments are doing a better job in granting access to public documents but that the performance of school districts has slumped. Municipal offices targeted in the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition’s… Read More
RIGHT TO KNOW: The Maine Freedom of Information Coalition organized an audit of 89 municipal offices, 40 police stations and 44 school departments to verify compliance Maine’s open records law. DEJA VU: Though the requested documents were different, the performance was on par with the… Read More
PORTLAND – How the Maine Supreme Judicial Court defines the functions of governing most likely will determine when Maine’s Indian tribes are subject to the state’s Freedom of Access Act, justices on the state’s high court indicated Wednesday. Justices asked pointed questions Wednesday about what… Read More
Editor’s Note: This is the first installment in a package of stories tied to Sunshine Week, organized by media organizations and other groups to combat government secrecy and bring attention to the public’s right to know. Some things your government doesn’t have to tell you… Read More
AUGUSTA – What’s considered one of Maine’s most far-reaching advances for open-records and meetings advocates in recent years – a review of every exception to existing law – is undergoing some rethinking in the State House. A law that took effect in 2004 requires a… Read More
AUGUSTA – Despite the Maine Freedom of Access law’s reputation as a tool for reporters, most of the applicants at the DEP are not journalists, but are people or organizations directly affected by agency decisions. The same is true in other states and at the… Read More
MACHIAS – The Bangor Daily News and the Quoddy Tides, a twice-weekly newspaper published out of Eastport, have jointly filed a lawsuit in Washington County Superior Court against the Passamaquoddy Tribe over right-to-know issues. Reporters for both newspapers were denied their requests to the Passamaquoddy… Read More
WASHINGTON – The Senate took steps Friday to ensure that Congress clearly explains future efforts to restrict the public’s access to government documents. Approved by a voice vote, the Senate bill requires that future legislation containing new exemptions to what records are open for public… Read More
MACHIAS – The Washington County commissioners engaged in an illegal executive session Wednesday, which the new chairman acknowledged within minutes of opening their regular meeting as “a mistake.” They convened within the hour before the posted meeting time of 3:30 p.m. and took up a… Read More
Editor’s Note: Journalism organizations are planning a nationwide campaign called Sunshine Week March 13-19 to press for public access to government documents, contending information is being withheld more often by officials who argue that post-Sept. 11, 2001, security concerns warrant keeping information secret. In addition to national stories… Read More
Editor’s Note: Journalism organizations are planning a nationwide campaign called Sunshine Week March 13-19 to press for public access to government documents, contending information is being withheld more often by officials who argue that post-Sept. 11, 2001, security concerns warrant keeping information secret. In addition to national stories… Read More
New communications technologies can disconnect reporters from the municipalities on their beats, depriving readers of information they have a right to see or hear. The advent of e-mail has left Bangor Daily News reporters off the list-serve of town officials in Bar Harbor, who find… Read More
Editor’s Note: Journalism organizations are planning a nationwide campaign called Sunshine Week March 13-19 to press for public access to government documents, contending information is being withheld more often by officials who argue that post-Sept. 11, 2001, security concerns warrant keeping information secret. In addition to national stories… Read More
Significant gains have been made in recent years in Maine to protect public access to government records and meetings, according to Judith Meyer of the Maine Freedom of Information Coalition. Meyer lists Maine’s first statewide public records audit, in which public agencies across the state… Read More
The following is a list of states grouped by the amount of public access they provide as determined by a study by the Marion Brechner Citizen Access Project. The states listed in each category are not individually ranked: The top states in providing access are:… Read More