Lack of government transparency in Mass. under review - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- It's a law you probably don't think much about, but it affects each and every one of us by shining light on possible government corruption.

The state's public records law is supposed to allow people to get access to public information, from emails to text messages of public employees. But critics say changes to the law are desperately needed since it has not seen a meaningful update since 1973.

On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard testimony on bills that would reform the public records law.

Massachusetts receives a failing grade from the Center for Public Integrity when it comes to providing public access to information and state lawmakers are actually exempt from the public records law.

“Instead of a sunshine law, we have basically a flashlight with batteries not included,” said Gavi Wolfe, legislative counsel for the ACLU of Massachusetts. “Agencies know it. They know there are no real consequences to ignoring requests, to charging fees that amount to public record ransom, to making nonsensical claims about why records should not be made available to the public.”

The reforms under consideration include requiring state agencies to provide records electronically and forcing them to pay attorneys' fees when agencies unlawfully block access to public information

“It is absolutely critical that we make these changes,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts. “The very fate of our democracy depends on it.”

Secretary of State William Galvin's office oversees public records in Massachusetts and Galvin says he supports reforming the law. But his office has faced criticism for siding with agencies that want to keep information under wraps.

For example, his office ruled Mass. State Police did not have to release a police report FOX Undercover requested about a Massachusetts judge accused of stealing a Cartier watch at Logan airport last year.

FOX Undercover eventually obtained the report, and video of the incident, from the Suffolk County District Attorney's office.

“There is case after case where your office sides with keeping the information secret,” said FOX Undercover's Mike Beaudet to Galvin.

“Well because if the statutes and the case law requires that, then that's what we must do,” replied Galvin who says the issue of public records reform should be brought to voters through a ballot question if lawmakers do not act soon.

FOX Undercover has also faced steep bills when making public records requests.

The MBTA tried to charge $15,000 earlier this year for five days of storm related emails for just two employees.

FOX Undercover ended up paying $500 for just one day of emails.

Mike Beaudet also received a $69,000 bill in 2013 from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services for access to Sunshine Disclosures, which state employees fill out in their job applications listing relatives already on the state payroll.

“Very simple, same questions, just put it on a separate sheet at the back of the application,” said Rep. Elizabeth Poirier (R) North Attleborough, who in the wake of that FOX Undercover investigation filed a bill to make it easier for the public to access the Sunshine Disclosures which are currently embedded in the state employment application. She's now refiled the bill and testified at Tuesday's hearing.

Rep. Poirier's Sunshine Disclosure bill is one of the many public records reforms now under consideration.

“On the face of it, it looks like we're trying to hide something,” said Poirier.