Those laws have remained untouched, according to the Herald, and advocates for change say they lead to too great of temptation for public officials. Former Speaker Salvatore DiMasi was convicted of corruption for driving public contracts toward a software outfit that in turn kicked back a portion of the profits.
Transparency groups, including the ACLU, are pushing lawmakers to enhance access to digital public records and lower costs for those trying to obtain public records. They also ask that all records that can be digitized be made available online, the Herald reports.
The legislation would also require the state to cover attorney fees for plaintiffs who challenge denials of public records requests, according to the newspaper.
"The basic value behind this is my belief that open transparent government is essential for a healthy democracy," said Sen. Jamie Eldridge, who has introduced the bills, told the Herald.
Some legislators expressed concerns about the scope of the law, the newspaper reports, wondering whether cash-strapped agencies would have the resources to meet its demands. One lawmaker also wondered aloud whether the new transparency measures would be exploited by political opponents, who would file excessive requires in an effort to burden their rivals' staffs.
