Massachusetts FOIA procedures
| Sunshine Laws |
| How to Make Records Requests |
| Sunshine Litigation |
| Sorted by State, Year and Topic |
| Sunshine Nuances |
| Deliberative Process Exemption |
Each state varies slightly in the procedures used to gain access to public documents. This article serves to describe specifically the steps used in Massachusetts (Sunshine Review). To read the history and details of Massachusetts’ sunshine laws please see Massachusetts Public Records Act
How to request public records in Massachusetts
Records requests should be directed to the public agency in possession of the desired records. The act does not require agencies to select an official records custodian.
Purpose and use
The act does not require a statement of purpose or place any restrictions on the use of records.
Who may request public records?
Anyone may request public documents in Massachusetts (Sunshine Review). Records custodians shall permit public records "to be inspected and examined by any person". [1]
Fees
- See also: How much do public records cost?
Fees for records include the cost of duplication and fees associated with the cost of search for the records[2]
Response time
- See also: Request response times by state
Massachusetts' law allows 10 days for record responses. [3]
Exemptions
See also
- Massachusetts Public Records Act
- Massachusetts Open Meetings Act
External links
References
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Template:State sunshine laws
