Massachusetts Public Records Law
Encyclopedia
Massachusetts Public Records Law is a law
in Massachusetts
detailing what kinds of documents are actually public records
. It is a state law that is linked with the federal Freedom of Information Act
, which was passed by Lyndon B. Johnson
in 1966.
and other agencies are required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records and documents upon request. There are exemption
s to FOIA that the government can use to keep certain records private.
The Massachusetts Public Records Law parallels FOIA. All records including photographs, memo
s, books, papers, maps, recorded tapes, financial statement
s, statistical tabulations, or other documentary
materials or data
are considered public information in Massachusetts, unless they are withheld from public view under one of the sixteen exemptions.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
detailing what kinds of documents are actually public records
Public records
Public records are documents or pieces of information that are not considered confidential. For example, in California, when a couple fills out a marriage license application, they have the option of checking the box as to whether the marriage is "confidential" or "Public"...
. It is a state law that is linked with the federal Freedom of Information Act
Freedom of Information Act (United States)
The Freedom of Information Act is a federal freedom of information law that allows for the full or partial disclosure of previously unreleased information and documents controlled by the United States government. The Act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure...
, which was passed by Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
in 1966.
Requirements
The governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and other agencies are required under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to disclose records and documents upon request. There are exemption
Exemption
An exemption such as a tax exemption allows a certain amount of income or other value to be legally excluded to avoid or reduce taxation.Exemption may also refer to:...
s to FOIA that the government can use to keep certain records private.
The Massachusetts Public Records Law parallels FOIA. All records including photographs, memo
Memo
Memo may refer to:* Most commonly Memorandum.* Bench memorandum, law* Memorandum Recordings - record company* Mêmo* MEMO - specialization in electrical engineering that studies Microwaves, Electromagnetism and Optoelectronic...
s, books, papers, maps, recorded tapes, financial statement
Financial statement
A financial statement is a formal record of the financial activities of a business, person, or other entity. In British English—including United Kingdom company law—a financial statement is often referred to as an account, although the term financial statement is also used, particularly by...
s, statistical tabulations, or other documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
materials or data
Data
The term data refers to qualitative or quantitative attributes of a variable or set of variables. Data are typically the results of measurements and can be the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables. Data are often viewed as the lowest level of abstraction from which...
are considered public information in Massachusetts, unless they are withheld from public view under one of the sixteen exemptions.