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FIRST AMENDMENT
OF U.S. CONSTITUTION
Congress shall make
no law respecting an establishment of
religion,
or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or
abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press;
or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble,
and to petition the
Government for a
redress
of grievances.
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2017 MAJOR
SUPPORTERS
 
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NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE
NEW ENGLAND FIRST AMENDMENT AWARDS
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Attorney General Weighs in on Public Records Case | VTDigger 5.19.17
"We welcome the attorney general's position that private email and text messaging accounts can be searched under the Public Records Act," said attorney Justin Silverman, executive director of the New England First Amendment Coalition. Silverman said it is still concerning that the attorney general is questioning how such searches can occur, the answer to which could have serious consequences for the public's right to know. . . . Silverman said that reasoning places a burden on the party requesting records that isn't contemplated by the Public Records Act, and which could be used to deny access to records that would be public were they not located on private accounts. "If a request needs to meet a certain standard before private accounts can be searched, the requester certainly shouldn't be required to put the cart before the horse and first provide proof the records exist," he said.
Judge Denies Release of 38 Studios Secret Grand Jury Records | WJAR-Providence 5.19.17
Access RI, the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause, the League of Women Voters and the New England First Amendment Coalition wanted the details related to the probe released saying there is "extraordinarily strong public interest" in the grand jury process. And now they are disappointed, said Justin Silverman with the New England First Amendment Coalition. "The decision is incredibly disappointing and a blow to the public's right to know in Rhode Island." Silverman said. "We had hoped for more transparency about 38 Studios but instead we're just facing more secrecy, more of the same."
VTDigger is filing the amicus brief in an appeal to the Supreme Court of Vermont. Other news outlets and transparency groups have signed on, including the New England First Amendment Coalition, the Caledonian Record, Seven Days and the Vermont Press Association.
Vermont Ends Delay on Public Release of Lawsuit Documents
| VTDigger 4.25.17
The
New England First Amendment Coalition celebrated the state's order in a news release Tuesday. "This is a win for open government. Vermonters have a right to know about lawsuits filed in their courts and to have timely access to those documents," said the group's executive director, Justin Silver, in a statement.
Local Lawyer Leads New England First Amendment Coalition | Community Advocate 3.13.17 Silverman joined the NEFAC board in 2010, and became its executive director in 2014. "NEFAC is an advocate for the First Amendment and the public's right to know. We seek to educate everyone - journalists and non-journalists alike - about their rights under the First Amendment. Much of our work is for the benefit of journalists because they are often the ones using freedom of information laws to obtain records and educate communities. But we provide resources to everyone. We're most concerned about threats to the press, free speech and the public's right to know."
Attacks on the Media Only Making Them Stronger | Roger Williams University 3.5.17 Jon Keller, political analyst for WBZ-TV, welcomed people to the New England First Amendment Coalition awards ceremony on Feb. 24 in Boston, saying: "Ladies, gentlemen, fellow enemies of the people - glad you could make it out today." Far from intimidating journalists with his attacks from the bully pulpit, President Donald J. Trump has lit a fire in the belly of the news industry. And ironically, his attempts to weaken the nation's media could end up making them stronger.
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We welcome contributions
to the NEFAC Report from journalists, lawyers, academics
or other advocates of
government transparency. If
you have something to add
to the conversation, please let
us know. Your stories, experiences and commentaries have broad appeal and value. Please email submissions to mail@nefirstamendment.org.
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SPRING FUNDRAISER
Our coalition is working every day to educate New England communities about their First Amendment rights and to reinforce the value of a vigorous, independent press. Given the political climate that exists today, NEFAC's work is needed now more than ever. This Annual Review is a sampling of that work and those who helped make it possible in 2016.
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"If we are to have a press that can truly act as the watchdog of power, organizations like NEFAC need to have your support. Please make a donation today."
Tom Fiedler, NEFAC President
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"In these contentious times, news organizations need NEFAC to offer advice and back them up. Even a small contribution can make a huge difference to NEFAC and its mission."
Janet Wu, NEFAC Board Member
[...]
We need you. Now, more than ever.
"We must rally behind the organizations who are under attack by those bent on bullying and muzzling, demeaning and delegitimizing a crucial component of our democracy."
Edward Fitzpatrick, NEFAC Board Member
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VERMONT
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott recently signed into law legislation that provides greater First Amendment protections for student journalists and their teachers and advisers. The New England First Amendment Coalition is one of several organizations that spent more than a year advocating for such protections at high schools and colleges in Vermont.
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Additional Coverage
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RHODE ISLAND
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MAY 9 LETTER
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Senate Bill 0401 would criminalize the unauthorized sharing of sexually explicit images or photos of a person's "intimate areas." It does not, as NEFAC argued, adequately protect media organizations that may publish such images when they are newsworthy. Such instances could include, for example, the photos of mistreated or tortured prisoners of war. NEFAC opposed similar legislation proposed last year. Gov. Gina Raimondo ultimately vetoed that bill.
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VERMONT
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MAY 12 BRIEF
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The New England First Amendment Coalition recently joined an amici curiae brief in a case that could determine whether public officials in Vermont can skirt the state's public records law by communicating through private email accounts. The Vermont Supreme Court case, Toensing v. Attorney General of Vermont, follows a Feb. 9 ruling that documents otherwise subject to the Public Records Act could be kept secret if they are kept on a private email or text message server. [...]
Additional Coverage
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RHODE ISLAND
The following is a statement by Access/RI on the recent decision to keep secret grand jury testimony about the 38 Studios case. The New England First Amendment Coalition is a member organization of Access/RI, which is a non-profit freedom of information coalition dedicated to improving citizen access to the records and processes of government in Rhode Island. [...]
Additional Coverage
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VERMONT
The bill was one of two priority legislative issues for the Vermont Press Association this year. A broad coalition of television, radio, freelance and online journalists joined the press association in advocating for the measure. Vermont joins about 40 states that have enacted some kind of shield law for journalists, according to Adam Silverman, president of the Vermont Press Association and an editor and writer at the Burlington (Vt.) Free Press. [...]
Additional Coverage
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RHODE ISLAND
Sadly, Cranston, R.I., has recently joined the ranks of those jurisdictions that have decided that the best way to deal with homelessness is to make it a crime.
This national phenomenon, fostered in an environment of ignorance, fear and hatred, is nothing new, but it is suddenly becoming much more pervasive. Jurisdictions around the country have moved to criminalize activities that are inherently associated with homelessness, such as sleeping in public, sleeping in vehicles, loitering and panhandling.
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Other FOI and First Amendment News
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REGIONAL / NATIONAL
Publishing Leaked Information
Trump Administration, Government Data
CONNECTICUT
CT-N Coverage
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MAINE
Public Records, Governor's Office
Shield Laws, Journalism
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MASSACHUSETTS
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Accidents, Driver Privacy
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RHODE ISLAND
VERMONT
Public Records, School Bullying Data
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