Sunshine Week, the annual celebration of open government supported by news organizations, civic groups, libraries, nonprofits, schools, and others, ended last Saturday. But one issue of particular interest to Massachusetts residents remains very much alive: preserving the rule that every town and city in the state provide remote access via Zoom or similar communications software to the public meetings of its boards and committees.
That provision, enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and then extended when the emergency was officially lifted, is due to expire March 25, 2025, roughly a year from now.
We think the requirement should be made permanent, but a bill currently before the Legislature would make it optional. That bill, Gov. Maura Healey’s Municipal Empowerment Act, would make the format of local meetings completely discretionary instead of guaranteeing hybrid meetings with both in-person and remote access.
Remote access has removed long-standing barriers to participation for people with disabilities, caregiving responsibilities, or lack of transportation. In Harvard, the availability of remote access has arguably increased attendance and been a boon to the Press in its efforts to cover municipal affairs. The recordings provided by Harvard Cable TV allow residents to catch up on meetings or hearings they might have missed and are no doubt also helpful to those charged with compiling their minutes, a requirement of Massachusetts Open Meeting Law.
Several bills in the Legislature propose to make remote access a requirement. One in particular has the support of a nine-member coalition that includes the New England Newspaper and Press Association (of which the Press is a member), the New England First Amendment Coalition, the League of Women Voters, and the Disability Law Center. That bill is H.3040/S.2024, currently in the hands of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government. The bill has 55 sponsors, including Harvard’s representatives state Sen. James Eldridge and state Rep. Danillo Sena.
We support its passage and if Press readers agree, we urge you to write to Eldridge and Sena, and ask for their continued support as well.
