New England First Amendment Coalition
@nefac.bsky.social
NEFAC is the region’s leading defender of First Amendment freedoms and government transparency — the foundation of a healthy democracy. How you can support our work: http://nefac.org/support
Ballot Question 1: Should the Legislature and Gov. Be Subject to the Public Records Law? | MassLive www.masslive.com/politics/202...
https://www.masslive.com/politics/2026/10/ballot-question-1-should-the-legislature-and-gov-be-subject-to-the-public-records-law.html
masslive.com
PETA Public Records Lawsuits Seek Identities of UMass Animal Research Panel Members | Greenfield Recorder recorder.com/2026/10/08/p...
PETA public records lawsuits seek identities of UMass animal research panel members - Greenfield Recorder
PETA sues UMass Amherst and UMass Chan for allegedly withholding the names of members on animal experiment oversight committees.
recorder.com
Judge Extends Temporary Block on Trump’s Media Ban | The Hill thehill.com/regulation/c...
Judge extends temporary block on Trump’s media ban
A federal judge on Thursday briefly extended an order lifting a ban implemented by the White House last month on three new outlets President Trump said should not be allowed to cover him …
thehill.com
In this month's Commentary and Coverage newsletter: 👉 ‘A Disgraceful Move’: Mass. Journalists Criticize White House for Banning Press Outlets 👉 UConn Fails in Free-Speech Climate for Second Consecutive Year Read more and subscribe: conta.cc/4ekfHxS
Nonprofit Law Firm Institute for Justice Weighs in on 'Roosters of Ogunquit' Debate | WMTW www.wmtw.com/article/roos...
Nonprofit law firm weighs in on 'Roosters of Ogunquit' debate
A national nonprofit, public interest law firm is asking a Maine town to rescind the fine it levied against a family over decorative roosters.
wmtw.com
NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman recently spoke with Joshua Levin at SPJ New England about competing proposals to increase transparency in Massachusetts. Read: www.spjne.org/2026/10/ball...
Rooster Fines in Ogunquit Violate Free-Speech Rights, Legal Firm Warns | Portsmouth Herald www.fosters.com/story/news/l...
https://www.fosters.com/story/news/local/york-star/2026/10/06/rooster-fines-ogunquit-maine-free-speech-rights/92116771007/
fosters.com
NH State Police Agree to Release ICE Partnership Records Amid ACLU Lawsuit | Union Leader www.unionleader.com/news/local-n...
NH State Police agree to release ICE partnership records ami...
New Hampshire State Police will disclose records on its ICE partnership by Nov. 12 after an ACLU-NH transparency lawsuit over long-delayed public-records reques...
unionleader.com
PETA Sues UMass Campuses Over Animal Research Records | WSHM www.westernmassnews.com/2026/10/07/p...
PETA sues UMass campuses over animal research records
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filed public records lawsuits against the University of Massachusetts Amherst
westernmassnews.com
Wider Public Records Access May Hinge on Post-Election Maneuvers | State House News Service www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_n...
Wider public records access may hinge on post-election maneuvers
BOSTON — If voters approve a sweeping public records law in November and Beacon Hill tries to replace it, supporters are ready to sue, adding to a web of possibilities
thesunchronicle.com
ABC and Trump's FCC Battle in Federal Court Over Issues of Free Speech and Jurisdiction | Associated Press www.rutlandherald.com/news/busines...
ABC and Trump's FCC battle in federal court over issues of free speech and jurisdiction
A lawyer for ABC has asked a federal judge to prevent the Trump administration from conducting an unusual, early review of its broadcast licenses, likening it to a looming execution
rutlandherald.com
Previously dubbed an “embarrassment” and a “black hole” for government transparency, the Massachusetts public records law could be revamped next month as voters weigh whether the Legislature and the governor’s office should be subject to the statute. www.boston.com/news/politic...
Supreme Court Declines to Take Up School Ban on ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Shirts | The Hill thehill.com/regulation/c...
Supreme Court declines to take up school ban on ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ shirts
The Supreme Court will not hear a dispute over whether a Michigan public school district can bar students from wearing clothing emblazoned with “Let’s Go Brandon,” a popular conservative slog…
thehill.com
Battle Over Transparency on Beacon Hill Will Be on the Ballot in November | WHDH whdh.com/news/battle-...
Battle over transparency on Beacon Hill will be on the ballot in November - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News
BOSTON (WHDH) - A battle over transparency on Beacon Hill will take center stage at the ballot box this November. Question 1 would expand the state’s<a class="excerpt-read-more"…
whdh.com
Federal Court Says US Agents Can Search Phones at Vermont’s Border with Canada Without Suspicion | Valley News vnews.com/2026/10/03/b...
Border agents can search phones without suspicion, court rules - Valley News
A federal appeals court ruled that border agents may manually search travelers' electronic devices without a warrant or suspicion of a crime, a decision that critics argue threatens privacy and free…
vnews.com
License Plate Camera Locations Have Been Kept Secret By Some CT Police, Until Now | CT Insider www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
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ctinsider.com
ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database | WIRED www.wired.com/story/ice-ha...
ICE Has Been Dumping Protester Photos Into a Palantir Database
DHS agents not only tracked and intimidated people observing ICE activity in Maine, but stored information about them in a Palantir-built database, newly unsealed court filings say.
wired.com
Houlton Asks Court to Dismiss Public Records Case Over Surveillance Cameras | Bangor Daily News www.bangordailynews.com/2026/10/02/a...
Houlton asks court to dismiss public records case over surveillance cameras
Resident Craig Harriman sued the town in September claiming officials did not release all public documents he requested about the controversial video system.
bangordailynews.com
Dem Legislative Leaders Call for Public Disclosure of Investigation Into Sitting Supreme Court Justices | InDepthNH indepthnh.org/2026/10/01/d...
Dem Legislative Leaders Call for Public Disclosure of Investigation Into Sitting Supreme Court Justices
House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson and Senate Democratic Leader Rebecca Perkins Kwoka wrote the Judicial Conduct Committee Thursday seeking public disclosure under the Court’s rules of any…
indepthnh.org
NEFAC President Gregory V. Sullivan recently spoke with The State We're In host Melanie Plenda about the White House ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico, its impact locally, and why this isn’t an issue concerning just journalists. youtu.be/8eMFYev4CeY?... #FirstAmendment
Markley, Lowell Battle Over Records Requests | Lowell Sun www.lowellsun.com/2026/10/01/m...
Markley, Lowell battle over records requests
The war of words — and records — escalated last month between the city of Lowell and one of its biggest commercial property developers, Markley Lowell LLC, which operates a 352,000-square-foot data…
lowellsun.com
📣 Registration Now Open - How to think through your personal and professional goals for a newsletter. - How to choose a newsletter platform that’s right for those goals. - Benefits and limitations of the email format for reporting. Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Join us today to learn about state court rules in New Hampshire. Attorney Richard C. Gagliuso will explain topics including: • State court rules on press access. • When cameras can be used in the courtroom. • Media registration requirements. Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
A Maine Superior Court judge ordered the City of Bath to release police records related to a 2024 domestic-violence murder-suicide, marking the first courtroom victory for the @nefac.bsky.social’s legal fund, which supported the newsrooms that brought the lawsuit.
Maine Court Orders Release of Police Records in Domestic Violence Double-Murder Case – New England First Amendment Coalition
nefac.org
Want to start a solo newsletter but don't know where to start? I'm outlining what you need to ask and some key decisions in #30MinuteSkills with @nefac.bsky.social in December us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: 30 Minute Skills: Starting a Solo Newsletter. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
Whether by choice or by layoff, independent reporters are increasingly turning to the newsletter format as a container for their journalism. As a solo newsletter operator, you’ll be faced with a lot o...
us02web.zoom.us
Question 1: Mass. Initiative Would Put Governor and Lawmakers Under State Public Records Law | WBUR www.wbur.org/news/2026/09...
Question 1: Mass. initiative would put governor and lawmakers under state public records law
This year’s Question 1 would place the Legislature, as well as the governor’s office, under the state’s public records law. Massachusetts is the only state that has exempted all three branches of…
wbur.org
Miss our class on Vermont state court rules and policies? Catch up now with Lia Ernst at the ACLU of Vermont: youtu.be/uvEOsAPCT1c #opengov #journalism
Vermont State Court Rules
YouTube video by New England First Amendment Coalition
youtu.be
In our September Advocacy newsletter: 👉 In First Win for NEFAC Legal Fund, Court Orders Release of Police Records in Domestic Violence Double-Murder Case 👉 NEFAC Joins Regional Newsrooms to Condemn White House Restrictions on Press Read more and subscribe: conta.cc/4ykZVLa
Miss our class on Maine state court rules with attorney Sigmund Schutz at Preti Flaherty and journalist Judith Meyer at The Maine Monitor? Catch up now: youtu.be/gabuzavcrok?... #journalism #opengov
Maine State Court Rules
YouTube video by New England First Amendment Coalition
youtu.be
Miss our Climate Reporting 102 class with Mara Hoplamazian at The Washington Sun? Catch up now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n9L... #opengov #journalism #data
Climate Reporting 102
YouTube video by New England First Amendment Coalition
youtube.com