Government Transparency

True democracy demands government transparency. The ACLU of Massachusetts works to strengthen the public’s right to hold officials accountable.

Collage of Massachusetts State House and a filing cabinet with a magnifying glass over the files to represent government transparency

In a functioning democracy, people should know what elected officials are up to. Otherwise, the government is not operating by the people, for the people. The ACLU of Massachusetts will always defend the public's right to hold the government accountable.

For example, we are fighting to make public records more accessible to Bay Staters.

The Latest

News & Commentary
A graphic showing the Massachusetts State House and a filing cabinet, signifying transparency

Public records help you hold your government accountable. We’re fighting to expand access.

We the People should have ongoing, direct access to documents that help us understand how our government works.
Press Release
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Massachusetts Court Blocks Religious Statues on Government Building in Quincy

Norfolk Superior Court granted a preliminary injunction blocking the planned installation of two large statues of Catholic saints outside the entrance of the new public safety headquarters in Quincy.
Issue Areas: Government Transparency, Freedom of Religion and Belief
Resource
Collage image with a blue background featuring the Massachusetts Statehouse, an individual in a yellow vest with a megaphone, two protestors, lady liberty, and a group of ACLU staff members.

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Press Release
Open Meeting 2

Legislative committee advances bill to modernize Open Meeting Law, guarantee hybrid meetings

In the wake of the pandemic, too many government bodies have reverted to in-person-only meetings, disenfranchising people with disabilities and others.
Issue Areas: Government Transparency
Initiative
May 2026

Get The FLOCK Out: Resource Guide

With Flock Safety's license plate reader (LPR) technology, law enforcement agencies across the country can track Massachusetts drivers in real-time — without a warrant, probable cause, or even reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing. Flock's nationwide data sharing model puts our civil rights and civil liberties at risk.
Campaign
Feb 2019

Data for Justice

We can’t manage what we don’t measure.