Bill > H2716

This bill establishes a new Public Records Division within the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, overseen by a five-member Commission of Public Records. This commission will include representatives from the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association, along with members appointed by the Secretary of State (who will serve as chairman) and the Attorney General. The bill also creates the role of a Supervisor of Public Records, who will be responsible for ensuring public records are properly maintained and preserved, and will have the authority to adopt regulations to implement the chapter's provisions. Custodians of public records are given ten days to respond to requests for inspection or copies, and if they fail to comply, the requester can petition the Supervisor of Records. The bill outlines a process for the Supervisor of Records to order compliance and, if necessary, notify the Attorney General or district attorney for enforcement. Furthermore, it establishes a division of administrative law appeals within the Supervisor's office to handle appeals related to public records, with a chief administrative magistrate overseeing the process. Finally, the bill increases penalties for unlawfully possessing, altering, mutilating, or destroying public records, and for public officers who neglect their duties related to public records.