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Mass. Lacks Transparency In Legislative Process, Public Records

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A new year means a new legislative session is underway. But there's a lot of secrecy in Massachusetts government.

Often, the floor debate and votes that take place follow closed door negotiations. And looking through public records can be fraught with difficulties, since the state legislature doesn't have to comply with public records law.

But what does that mean for democracy if the state government operates behind closed doors and the records are kept under lock and key?

Guest

David Scharfenberg, politics and public policy reporter for The Boston Globe. He tweets @dscharfglobe.

Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. She tweets @pamwilmot.

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The Boston Globe: Massachusetts’ Problem With Transparency

  • "(A)ll the secrecy in Massachusetts, good-government advocates say, has consequences: making it more difficult for citizens to participate, tougher for the media to hold government to account, and easier for public officials to slip into corruption."

This segment aired on January 23, 2015.

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