Massachusetts: BROKEN RECORDS: APPEALS NONSENSE

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BROKEN RECORDS: APPEALS NONSENSE

September 20, 2016 By ANDREW QUEMERE and MAYA SHAFFER Leave a Comment

Secretary of the Commonwealth Galvin attempts to rewrite law in order to dodge it

An update to the Massachusetts public records law is set to go into effect in January, and with it a new set of regulations drafted by Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office. To those unfamiliar with the quagmire that is Massachusetts records access, this might sound like a “Victory!” for transparency, but it isn’t. Unfortunately, Galvin’s office has sought to undermine the new law by proposing regulations that would exempt the office from several important responsibilities.

Under both the old and new records law, the Secretary of the Commonwealth is responsible for ruling on appeals from people who are denied access to public records. Journalists, lawyers, activists, and others file hundreds of these appeals every year; in fact, using the appeals process is a fairly routine part of requesting records in Mass because of the comic regularity with which government agencies break the law. Last year, amassive audit by Northeastern University journalism students, WCVB, and the Boston Globe found that 58 percent—the majority—of the Commonwealth’s 351 municipalities did not even meet the low bar of responding to records requests on time. Recently, Globe reporter Todd Wallack found that nearly half of appeals filed this year were submitted simply because an agency did not respond to a request.

Despite the importance of the appeals process, the old law gave Galvin’s office discretion on whether to rule on appeals, leaving requesters at its mercy. Sometimes it declines to do so or simply does not respond to them at all. In the update, however, state legislators made it mandatory, writing that the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office “shall issue a written determination regarding any” appeal, according to the new law that was passed unanimously by House and Senate lawmakers (emphasis added).

Instead of accepting the new law as written, Galvin’s office has decided to reinterpret it to mean the same thing as the old one. According to the proposed regulations, which were released last week, “it shall be within the discretion of [Galvin’s office] whether to open an appeal concerning a request for public records.” The regulations state that Galvin’s office may decline to rule on an appeal for one of several listed reasons—or for no reason at all.

State lawmakers limited the time allowable for Galvin’s office to rule on appeals after the media criticized Galvin for dragging out the appeals process for months, but in his proposed regulations Galvin would exempt his office from this time limit. The new law states that Galvin’s office must rule on all appeals “not later than 10 business days following [their] receipt.” That’s two weeks—still a fairly generous amount of time—but Galvin’s office came up with a neat trick for dodging the new deadline: It simply redefined what it means to “receive” an appeal. The proposed regulations state that Galvin’s office must review and assign a number to each appeal it receives. Only then does the appeal count as being “received,” and only then do the 10 business days begin. This delay only applies to members of the public who file appeals. When an agency petitions the Secretary of the Commonwealth under the new law, Galvin’s office uses a definition of “receiving” that an English speaker would recognize.

That may not sound like a big deal—after all, how long should it take to review a letter and assign it a number? But there’s little doubt it will significantly delay the appeals process. When we examined our own appeals for a column published earlier this year, we found it took Galvin’s office an average of about 11 days to assign a number. And if Galvin’s office decides it wants to continue taking months to issue rulings, all it needs to do is wait even longer.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s employees don’t always count in business days, either. When it comes to narrowing the window of time for a requester to file an appeal, the regulations switch to calendar days—specifically, a 90-calendar-day deadline, which is arbitrary and not specified anywhere in the law.

Drafting these regulations was an opportunity to clarify vague and troubling language, but Galvin’s office has failed to address several issues left by state lawmakers. For instance, the new measure allows an agency to petition Galvin’s office to be relieved of its duty to provide records if a request is “part of a series of contemporaneous requests that are frivolous or designed to intimidate or harass”—but none of these terms are defined within the law. They aren’t defined in the regulations either, and to top it off, Galvin’s office plans to use them as reasons to refuse to open appeals.

The regulations also double down on a nonsensical rule that allows agencies to refuse to provide more records to anyone “who has failed to compensate the agency or municipality for previously produced public records.” The regulations say an agency can deny records on this basis as long as the agency “prepared a fee estimate” for the previously produced records. However, the regulations do not state that the requester has to have agreed to pay the fee, which is very troubling considering fees can sometimes bethousands or even millions of dollars—making them impossible for most requesters, even profitable news organizations, to afford. The old system, where agencies simply collected fees before providing records, was much more logical.

Galvin’s proposed regulations are subject to a public hearing and a written comment period before they become official and hold the weight of law. The hearing will be on Thursday, Oct 6, at 11 am in the 17th floor conference room of the Office of the Secretary, 1 Ashburton Place, in Boston. We hope our readers will attend or send in written testimony calling on Galvin to clean up these regulations—especially the exemptions he gave his office from the law. The Massachusetts Municipal Association, a taxpayer-funded lobbyist group that has been fighting against public records reform, will be testifying, so it’s important that transparency advocates counter its effort.

You can submit written testimony here:

Shawn A. Williams, Supervisor of Public Records

Public Records Division

Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth

One Ashburton Place, Room 1719

Boston, MA 02108

Broken Records is a biweekly column produced in partnership between theBoston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism,DigBoston, and the Bay State Examiner. Follow BINJ on Twitter @BINJreports for upcoming installments of Maya and Andrew’s ongoing reporting on public information.

https://digboston.com/broken-records-appeals-nonsense/

MASSterList: Cities and towns get a collective F | Where's the cleanest place in Boston? | Belichick's bad call

Sponsored

Monday, December 28, 2015

By George Donnelly (@geodonnelly) and Sara Brown

Today: Baker at the RMV; Cape Cod heroin documentary Gov. Baker, along with Lt. Gov. Polito and Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack, will be at the Haymarket Registry of Motor Vehicles office to trumpet customer service improvements. Baker recently said "basically everybody [is] getting through in less than 30 minutes." 10:00 am, 136 Blackstone St., Boston.   HBO will air its documentary on heroin addiction on Cape Cod tonight. "Heroin: Cape Cod, USA," airs Monday at 9:00 pm. Here's today's Globe story on reaction of affected Cape Cod families to the film: http://bit.ly/1OgAMr7   Snow is in the forecast for tonight: http://bit.ly/1QRH2rW   The Belichick OT call We are not a sports publication, but we can't help ourselves: There isn't and will never be a logical reason to elect to kick when you win an overtime coin toss. Unlike electing to kick when winning the opening coin toss (a classic Patriots strategy), giving the ball away in OT can only hurt you. But you knew this already, as you watched the Jets march down the field in four plays for the OT win yesterday. Mere amateur sports analysis like mine is easily brushed off, and the Boston media did its best to rationalize Coach Belichick's decision, which he defended with barely more than a few words. Basically he bet, and bet wrong, on his defense. For longer explanations, see theHerald and the Globe. But for my money, one of the best analyses is in the New York Daily News with its lead sentence: "Bill Belichick handed the Jets the best Christmas gift they could imagine: the ball in overtime." http://nydn.us/1VlKpGy Public records responses -- cities and towns get an F It was as brilliant as it was simple: Send two common public records requests to Massachusetts' 351 cities and towns and see how they treat the request. The responses were all over the map, with 58 percent failing to respond within the mandated 10 business day period, and 25 percent taking 40 days or more. And it gets more bizarre from there, with some towns asking for as much as $900 for commonly available public payroll records. The story, by the Globe's Todd Wallack with research help from WCVB investigative reporter Mike Beaudet's journalism class at Northeastern, points out why laws without adequate enforcement mechanisms can be routinely flouted and misinterpreted. The House passed an updated and in some ways tougher public records law, which is expected to be considered by the Senate early next year. http://bit.ly/1NRv3ED   Plainridge's reversal of fortune Plainridge Park Casino has gone from hero to zero in a mere six months, as it's become increasingly obvious that the state's first and only casino is struggling to compete with nearby Twin River in Rhode Island. Revenue figures continue to fall below expectations, and one reason is the decision of Twin River to up the ante, offering three times the number of machines along with live table games. The Globe's Sean Murphy reports from an eerily quiet Plainridge here: http://bit.ly/1NSlHbz   AG investigates Quincy cop's OT The Patriot Ledger reports that the Attorney General's office is looking into the case of a Quincy police lieutenant who was suspended for getting paid for hours he didn't work. Police Lieutenant Thomas Corliss was suspended Dec. 9 after an internal investigation revealed his regular city shifts overlapped with detail and other city work on 21 different occasions. http://bit.ly/1IxGGnt   'The cleanest place in Boston' The Chipotle restaurant in Cleveland Circle where more than 100 people were sickened has gotten a clean bill of health from the city and has reopened. "The Chipotle is probably the best place to eat right now, because it's the cleanest place in Boston. ... They have a clean bill of health," Boston's Inspectional Services Department Commissioner William "Buddy" Christopher Jr. said to the Herald. Inspectors found many violations at the restaurant earlier in the month including onions being stored next to raw chicken, an uncovered dumpster and a rusted out magnetic knife holder.http://bit.ly/1NIU7zC   City spends OT budget before snow flies  The city of Boston has spent through its $1.2 million Department of Public Works overtime budget before the first snowflake has fallen, the Herald reports. The city had exceeded the budget by Dec. 11, due in large part to preparations for and cleanup from festivals and other special events. http://bit.ly/1PrRjHJ  AG: Gaming Commission violated open meeting law  Officials from Suffolk Downs are among those calling on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to revisit earlier decisions in the wake of the Attorney General's determination that the commission repeatedly violated the state's open meeting law, the Herald reports. The AG's office said before Christmas that the MGC's practice of holding informal lunch meetings -- first reported by the Herald -- where a host of issues before the commission constituted violations of the law. http://bit.ly/1OTvIVX  Niche clinics dominate marijuana prescriptions  Three years after medical marijuana was legalized in Massachusetts, the vast majority of patients using the drug are being licensed by a small number of specialty clinics, the Lowell Sun reports. Citing Department of Public Health numbers, the Sun says 20 doctors accounted for 94 percent of the marijuana prescriptions issued in the year that began in October of 2014. http://bit.ly/1MCUh7H  On Cape Cod, data show opioids crisis persists  Despite a year's worth of attention from political leaders, data from across Cape Cod contain few signs the opioid crisis is relenting. The Cape Cod Times reports on overdose deaths and medical calls and says while total deaths are down in some areas, officials in Hyannis reported an overall increase in overdoses responses. The region is the focus of a recent HBO documentary on the opioid crisis and Falmouth Police Chief Edward Dunne plans to convene a summit on the issue early next month. http://bit.ly/1OouLnU   Baker on marijuana legalization: "I think marijuana, the more I learn about it, the more I learn about its impact on teenagers, themore I learn about its connection to heroin, the more I learn about its connection to addiction generally, the less I like legalizing it." In an interview with the AP here: http://bit.ly/1mK9uix More end-of-year charity donation ideas: Casa Myrna has been working to end domestic and dating violence since 1977. In addition to prevention and awareness initiatives, Casa Myrna provides comprehensive services (including shelter, legal representation, children's services, economic self-sufficiency and housing advocacy) to more than 1,000 survivors annually. Casa Myrna also answers nearly 30,000 calls through their statewide domestic violence hotline, SafeLink. http://www.casamyrna.org/donate-2/.   Homes for Families (HFF) is an advocacy organization that builds powerful relationships between homeless and formerly homeless families, shelter/service providers, concerned citizens, the business community, government and others who share the goal of ending family homelessness. Through educating, organizing and advocating, they help lessen the devastating effects of homelessness on families and the communities in which they live. http://homesforfamilies.org/How_You_Can_Help/donate.html   Innercity Weightlifting (ICW): ICW is a Boston-based nonprofit that connects with active gang members through a simple commonality: working out. This connection gets their students off the streets and into their gym, where they provide a variety of support -- including their in-house career track in personal training -- to help the students gain economic and social mobility and give them the hope to say no to violence and yes to opportunity. Donate here, or better yet, sign up for a training session! REMEMBER: To send your tips to me at gdonnelly@massterlist.com. Op-eds and other commentary invited for publication on Massterlist. TODAY'S TOP STORIES State: RMV denying dozens of NSFW, offensive tags each year Q&A: Gov. Baker reflects on 1st year, road ahead What will the biggest MBTA stories be in 2016? - The Boston Globe Most Massachusetts cities and towns fail to follow state public records law - The Boston Globe State offers guided New Year's Day hikes Plan to stopper health care costs sparks early debate Microbead pollution triggers state backlash Local: DPW blows through OT budget Worcester school projects don't make state's latest cut; will be resubmitted next year Southbridge School Committee did not violate meeting law, AG rules Officials mull naming Natick paths West Bridgewater officials want to create school resource officer position Wake Monday, funeral Tuesday for Quincy Councilor Brian McNamee Court-ordered recount in Revere mayor's race - The Boston Globe Outgoing City Councilor Charles Yancey honored at ceremony - The Boston Globe Ruiz: Listening tour ends, strategic planning begins A year of new leadership faces, completed places and departing landmarks Subscribe now for free!

CapeCodToday: SHNS: What's ahead in state government this week

What's ahead in state government this week

Local: Cape Cod Commission on the Wellfleet tower project; Herring grant announcement in Wellfleet

ARTICLE | POLITICS | AUGUST 1, 2015 06:00 AM | BY STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

- See more at: http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2015/08/01/225658-Whats-ahead-state-government-week#sthash.mGH9NHZz.dpuf

Initiative petition sponsors have until Thursday to file the language of their proposed ballot laws along with signatures from 10 sponsors of their measures if they wish to be in the running for a slot on the November 2016 ballot.  It's the first in a series of deadlines that ballot campaigns must meet if they wish to put proposals before voters.   Activists have been talking up measures to legalize marijuana, authorize more charter schools, end the state's participation in Common Core education standards, tax millionaires at a higher rate and overhaul the public records laws.  After Thursday, Attorney General Maura Healey faces the next deadline in the process.   By Sept. 2, Healey must decide whether the proposals meet constitutional requirements for ballot questions.   Sponsors of questions that clear that hurdle then face a two-step signature-gathering requirement, with 64,750 required in the first round and another 10,792 in the second round.   If the Legislature hasn't approved a law that satisfies ballot activists by next July, they can proceed to the ballot if they've met the requirements.

-- After busy formal sessions Wednesday and Thursday informal sessions resume in the Legislature on Monday when lawmakers are free to pass almost any bill as long as no one objects.  The House and Senate are likely to use informal sessions to re-enact sections of the budget sent back by Gov. Baker with amendments, including the section authorizing an expansion of the earned income tax credit.

-- Gov. Charlie Baker's signature is all that's needed to green-light the suspension of the state's 6.25 percent sales tax on Aug. 15 and Aug. 16. The Legislature this week passed the sales tax holiday bill, which has become an annual event in recent years.  

-- Congressman Joe Kennedy III, who has stepped up his political activity this year, is scheduled to address progressive business officials Monday night in Boston.

-- The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees meets Monday with plans to confirm Jacqueline Moloney, executive vice chancellor of UMass-Lowell, to succeed Martin Meehan as chancellor of that campus.  The job opened up when the UMass Board in May picked Meehan to succeed former UMass President Robert Caret.

-- Republican presidential candidates plan to gather Monday in New Hampshire and Thursday in Cleveland as voters screen the large field of contenders ahead of next year's election to choose a successor to President Barack Obama.

-- The Senate this month passed legislation aimed at vastly expanding the state's solar power capacity and Gov. Baker next week plans to file his own "net metering" bill to boost solar's role in the state's energy mix while attempting to minimize impacts on ratepayers.

SATURDAY, AUG. 1, 2015

FEAST OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT:  Gov. Charles Baker plans to attend the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament at Madeira Field in New Bedford.  Now proclaimed by organizers to be the largest Portuguese feast in the world, and the largest ethnic festival in New England, the feast was founded in 1915 by four Madeiran immigrants.  (Saturday, 2 p.m., 50 Madeira Ave., New Bedford)

'JOE DAY' DAY:  Members of Boston's news community will gather to celebrate the life of longtime Boston political reporter Joe Day, who died in March at age 78.  He reported politics for WGBH-TV Ch. 2, WCVB-TV Ch. 5, and WHDH-TV Ch. 7, covering local and national affairs, presidential campaigns, gubernatorial races, and Boston mayoral campaigns.  Day was known to Ch. 7 colleagues as "The Doctor" for "nearly-surgical precision" to "cut to the heart of a story."  7News alumnus Mark Wile has spent months organizing the celebration, which has been dubbed "Joe Day" Day.  Day's wife Nancy and sons Peter and Matt will join in the event, along with colleagues, friends, and fans.  (Saturday, 12 p.m., Joe's American Bar & Grill, Rte. 1, Dedham)

STAN LEE DAY: Boston Mayor Martin Walsh will honor comic book icon Stan Lee, the 92-year-old former president of Marvel Comics who co-created Spider-Man, The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, X-Men and others, by proclaiming Aug. 1, 2015 "Stan Lee Day" in Boston. Walsh will present Lee with a proclamation and offer brief remarks at the 8th annual Boston Comic Con, where Lee will be greeting fans and signing autographs. (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Cityview Ballroom, Third Floor, Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Blvd., Boston)

SUNDAY, AUG. 2, 2015

PAN-MASS CHALLENGE:  Gov. Charles Baker and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh will ride in the 36th Pan-Mass Challenge, starting at Babson College.  They will be among thousands of cyclists traversing the state to raise money for cancer research and treatment.  (Sunday,6:30 a.m., 231 Forest St., Babson Park, Wellesley)

SUNUNU ON KELLER:  Former N.H. Governor John Sununu talks with Jon Keller about his new book "The Quiet Man: The Indispensable Presidency of George H.W. Bush."  They will discuss the difference between Bush's generation and baby boomer political leadership; how the media covers politics; and Trump, for whom Sununu has little use.  (Sunday, 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV Ch. 4)

WALSH "ON THE RECORD": Boston Mayor Marty Walsh talks to "On the Record" hosts Janet Wu and Ed Harding on several topics including the Olympics.  (Sunday, 11 a.m., WCVB-TV Ch. 5)

NECN: THIS WEEK IN BUSINESS | Shirley Leung of the Boston Globe, Chris Dempsey of No Boston Olympics and Peter Howe of NECN talk about the USOC's decision to pull Boston's 2024 Olympic bid. (Sunday, 12:30 p.m., NECN)

FALCHUK ON URBAN UPDATE: Evan Falchuk will talk with host Byron Barnett about the end of "Boston 2024." Barnett will also host Boston Herald columnist Kevin Peterson and Beverly Morgan-Welch, executive director of the Museum of African American History, to discuss the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He will also discuss El Sistema, a musical program created in Venezuela, and its Summer Academy in Massachusett (Sunday, 11:30 a.m., WHDH-TV Ch. 7)

MONDAY, AUG. 3, 2015

HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.

LEADERSHIP MEETING:  Gov. Charles Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, House Minority Leader Bradley Jones, and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr plan to meet in a weekly leadership meeting.  This will be their first meeting since the legislature voted to override 87 of Gov. Baker's line-item vetoes, restoring around $97 million in spending to the fiscal 2016 budget.  (CLOSED PRESS)  (Monday, 2 p.m., House Speaker's Office, Room 356)

TRANSPO PROJECT AMENDMENTS: The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization will release a draft of an amendment of the federal fiscal years (FFYs) 2015-18 Transportation Improvement Program and an amendment to the FFY 2015 Unified Planning Work Program for a 30-day public review process. The TIP amendment addresses a cost increase to the improvements on Dedham Street/Canton Street project in Canton and reflects that the project will be funded with federal aid instead of non-federal aid. The UPWP amendment removes a mapping study and transfers the funding for it to another study, which is focused on improving bicycle and pedestrian access to MBTA stations on the Fairmount commuter rail line. (Monday, no specific time, online at the MPO's website, www.bostonmpo.org.)

GOP PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS ON STAGE, ON AIR: Further cementing its "first in the nation" status, New Hampshire will be the site of the Voters First Presidential Forum as 14 Republican presidential candidates are expected to discuss the issues at Saint Anselm College. The event is jointly sponsored by the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Charleston Post & Courier (SC), the Cedar Rapids Gazette (IA), and WLTX-TV in Columbia, SC. The forum was organized in response to the criteria Fox News established to limit participation in the first GOP-sanctioned debate, scheduled for later in the week, the Union Leader said. Tickets for the event are no longer available. (Monday, 7 p.m., The Dana Center, Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Dr., Manchester, NH, also airing live on C-SPAN.)

UMASS TRUSTEES: The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees holds a special meeting to vote on the appointment of a new chancellor for UMass-Lowell. The UMass Lowell Chancellor Search Committee will present its report to the board, and UMass President Marty Meehan will make his recommendation to the board before the vote. If the board approves UMass-Lowell executive vice chancellor Jacqueline Moloney for the position, she will become the first female chancellor in the 121-year history of UMass-Lowell and its preceding institutions, the university said. In the just-completed state budget deliberations, UMass secured a long-sought tuition retention law and convinced the Legislature to restore $5.25 million in university funds that had been vetoed by Gov. Charlie Baker.  (Monday, 4 p.m., Amherst Room, 33rd Floor, 225 Franklin St., Boston)

KENNEDY AT "PROGRESSIVE POWER HOUR":  Congressman Joseph Kennedy III is scheduled as the featured guest at the Alliance for Business Leadership's "Progressive Power Hour."  The series of hour-long events aims to bring together top public figures with the progressive business community for networking and Q&A.  The next power hour will feature Congresswoman Katherine Clark on Oct. 13.  (Monday, 6 p.m., MassChallenge, 21 Drydock Ave., Boston)

FEINBURG HOSTS NIGHTSIDE:  Boston talker Todd Feinburg will sit in for Dan Rea as guest-host on "NightSide."  (Monday, 8 p.m., WBZ NewsRadio 1030)

TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 2015

ROSENBERG ON HERALD RADIO:  Senate President Stanley Rosenberg plans to sit down for a monthly interview on Boston Herald Radio's "Morning Meeting."  (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 70 Fargo St., Boston, www.bostonheraldradio.com, WMEX-AM 1510, WCRN-AM 830)

DOI SESSION ON WORKERS' COMP: The Division of Insurance will hold a public listening session on workers compensation insurance. (Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., 1000 Washington Street, Hearing Room 1-E, Boston.

GROUNDBREAKING OF MALDEN POLICE STATION: Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash will deliver remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Malden Police Station. (Tuesday, 2:30 p.m., Malden Police Station, 800 Eastern Ave, Malden)

T CONTROL BOARD: The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board holds its third meeting and is expected to discuss Parcel 13,  approximately 54,500 square feet of air rights over the Massachusetts Turnpike and portions of the MBTA Green Line tunnel across the street from the Hynes Convention Center. Earlier this year, the MBTA and MassDOT selected a developer for a project at Parcel 13 that calls for 85 rental and 88 condominium residential units, a 156-key hotel, 26,000 square feet of retail space, and 138 accessory parking spaces, according to the MBTA. (Tuesday, 2:15 p.m., 10 Park Plaza, MassDOT Board Room, Suite 3830, Boston)

MASSDOT BOARD OF DIRECTORS: The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors will hold its first meeting since the recently-announced changes to the department's leadership structure. The board will receive a presentation on its Accelerated Bridge Project and the Central Artery-Tunnel Project Repair and Maintenance Trust Fund. (Tuesday, 1 p.m., 10 Park Plaza, MassDOT Board Room, Suite 3830, Boston)

'HEROES AMONG US' AWARD CEREMONY: Treasurer Deb Goldberg will give remarks at the 17th Annual Heroes Among Us Award Ceremony presented by the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission in partnership with the Boston Celtics. Heroes Among Us is a community outreach program associated with professional sports. The award is presented to an individual or individuals who have made lasting contributions to the community. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Great Hall, State House)

AG ON BROADSIDE: Attorney General Maura Healey will be in studio for an interview on NECN's "Broadside" program. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., NECN)

D.A. RYAN ATTENDS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT: District Attorney Marian Ryan plans to attend National Night Out Against Crime and Drugs community gatherings in Tewksbury and North Reading (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., 175 Chandler Street, Tewksbury) (6:45 p.m., Ipswich River Park, North Reading)

REVERE COMMUNITY COMPACT:  Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Revere Mayor Dan Rizzo will attend a community compact signing at Revere City Hall.  (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 281 Broadway, Revere)

ROSENBERG SPEAKS TO CAMPERS:  Senate President Stanley Rosenberg plans to speak to 30 campers from the Phillips Brooks House Association.  The association provides summer camps to families around Boston who live in low-income neighborhoods that leave them prime to gang violence and danger.  (Tuesday, 1 p.m., Senate Chamber)

HEARING ON CHALLENGE TO POLITICAL FINANCING LAW: The first hearing in a case challenging the state's ban on business contributions to parties, candidates and political committees will take place in Suffolk Superior Court. The Goldwater Institute is representing 1A Auto Inc., which sells auto parts in Pepperell, and 126 Self Storage Inc., which rents out self-storage units in Ashland. Rick Green is the president of 1A Auto Inc. and chairman of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a conservative non-profit that targets Democrats on specific issues. The owner of 126 Self Storage is Michael Kane, who is also clerk and director for MassFiscal. The Goldwater Institute is named after former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, an Arizona Republican who was the party's presidential nominee in 1964. "Massachusetts law outright bans businesses from making political contributions to parties, candidates, and political committees," the Goldwater Institute wrote in an advisory. "But labor unions are allowed to directly contribute up to $15,000 to candidates, parties, and political committees with no disclosure requirements at all. On top of that, labor-directed political action committees are also allowed to contribute to candidates, parties, and other PACs. Business-directed PACs are banned from contributing altogether." (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Suffolk Superior Court, Three Pemberton Square, Boston)

MASSDEVELOPMENT: The proposed issuance of about $13.3 million in bonds for the financing, refinancing or reimbursement of a project at the Berkshire School in Sheffield will be considered at a public hearing of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency. (Tuesday, 10 a.m., 1350 Main St., Suite 1110, Springfield)

POLITO ATTENDS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT:  Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito will attend National Night Out at Fuller Park in Worcester.  (Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., 104 Murray Ave., Worcester)

CAHILL HOSTS NIGHTSIDE:  Former Treasurer Timothy Cahill will sit in for Dan Rea as guest-host on "NightSide."  (Tuesday, 8 p.m., WBZ NewsRadio 1030)

AUDITOR ON THE MOUND: State Auditor Suzanne Bump will throw out the first pitch at the Brockton Rox home game against the Worcester Bravehearts. (Tuesday, 6:35 p.m., Campanelli Stadium, 1 Feinberg Way, Brockton)

LASELL COLLEGE IN NEWTON: The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency will accept testimony on the proposed issuance of $10 million in bonds for a $24 million project at Lasell College in Newton at a public hearing. (Tuesday, 11 a.m. 99 High St. 11th Floor, Boston)

TREASURER GOLDBERG MEETS WITH GUV: Treasurer Deb Goldberg will have her monthly meeting with Gov. Charlie Baker. (Tuesday, 4 p.m., Governor's Office,Room 360, State House)

HERRING GRANT: Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton and Department of Fish and Game Commissioner George Peterson announce a grant for the Herring River Estuary Restoration. (Tuesday, 2 p.m., Herring River Bridge, adjacent to 1065 Chequessett Neck Road, Wellfleet)

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5, 2015

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL: The Governor's Council meets for its weekly assembly. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito presides. (Wednesday, 12 p.m., Governor's Office, Room 360)

BAKER, ASH IN WORCESTER:  Gov. Charles Baker and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash plan to visit City Square in Worcester.  (Wednesday, 4 p.m., City Square, Worcester)

D.A. RYAN ATTENDS PICNIC: Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan attends Somerville Mayor Joseph Curatone's Annual "Old Time" Senior Picnic ( Wednesday, 11 a.m., Powderhouse Park, Somerville)

POLICE COMMISSIONER EVANS ON RADIO BOSTON: Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans is scheduled to speak with the co-host of "Radio Boston," Anthony Brooks, and take listener calls. (Wednesday, 3 p.m., WBUR-FM 90.9)

TREASURER GOLDBERG SPEAKS AT MINUTEMAN HIGH SCHOOL: Treasurer Deb Goldberg will visit and speak to the Minuteman High School STEM summer exploratory program for the 7th and 8th grade girls. (Wednesday, 1:30 p.m., Minuteman High School, 758 Marrett Road, Lexington)

DOI SESSION ON FINANCIAL REGULATIONS: Financial regulations will be the topic of a public comment session hosted by the Division of Insurance. (Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., 1000 Washington Street, Hearing Room 1-E, Boston)

MASSDEVELOPMENT: The issuance of tax-exempt revenue bonds totaling no more than $39,235,000 for the Dexter School project in Brookline will be the subject of a public hearing of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., 99 High St. 11th Floor, Boston)

SUDDERS ADDRESSES INTERNS: Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders will be a guest speaker at the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind's internship lunch. (Wednesday, 10 a.m., Great Hall of Flags, State House)

NORWOTTUCK RIBBON CUTTING: Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton joins Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Carol Sanchez and Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Norwottuck Rail Trail Rehabilitation project. (Wednesday, 9 a.m., Elwell Recreation Area Parking Lot, 446 Damon Road, Northampton)

THURSDAY, AUG. 6, 2015

HOUSE AND SENATE: Both branches plan to meet in informal sessions at 11 a.m.

SUDDERS ON BOSTON PUBLIC RADIO: Marylou Sudders, secretary of health and human services, will be a guest on "Boston Public Radio" with hosts Margery Eagan and Jim Braude. (Thursday, 12 p.m., WGBH-FM 89.7)

MASS GAMING MEETING: The Massachusetts Gaming Commission will hold a public meeting. Topics at the meeting will include Suffolk Downs racing application, Wynn Resort's Second Supplemental Final Environmental Notification Form, MGM schedule and historical commission MOA, Region C and an update from the Access and Opportunity Committee. (Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Hynes Convention Center, Boston)

ROSENBERG ON WHMP:  Senate President Stanley Rosenberg plans to sit down for a monthly interview with Bill Newman.  (Thursday, 9:15 a.m., 15 Hampton Ave., Northampton, www.whmp.com, WHMP-AM 1400 Northampton, 1600 East Longmeadow, 1240 Greenfield, FM 96.9 Amherst)

ROSENBERG VISITS SEEDS OF SOLIDARITY:  Senate President Stanley Rosenberg plans to visit Seeds of Solidarity's 30-acre site, a farm and education center established "in the spirit of New Alchemy and in honor of those around the world helping to feed the people."  (Thursday, 11 a.m., 165 Chestnut Hill Rd., Orange)

REPUBLICAN FIELD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: Ten GOP presidential candidates will go toe-to-toe on Fox News as the cable network hosts the first GOP-sanctioned debate of the 2016 presidential campaign. The debate will take place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and will feature the top 10 candidates in national polls, as determined by Fox News. The debate will include "Facebook data illustrating how the issues of the day are resonating with people on today's largest platform for political conversation," the cable network said. Anchors Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace will moderate. (Thursday, 9 p.m., Fox News)

MASSDEVELOPMENT: The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency will consider a proposal of the Advent School Corporation related to the financing of the renovation of two buildings on Brimmer Street in Boston. (Thursday, 10 a.m., 99 High St. 11th Floor, Boston)

HEARING TO INVESTIGATE TIME WARNER CABLE:  The Department of Telecommunications and Cable will hold a public and evidentiary hearing to investigate Time Warner Cable's proposed basic service tier programming, equipment and installation rates for Western Massachusetts. (Thursday, 11 a.m., 1000 Washington Street, Hearing Room 1-E, Boston)

CONVERSATION ON VOTING RIGHTS ACT: The Museum of African American History will host a program titled 'The Struggle Continues: 2015 Millennium Conversation on the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act in Boston.' (Thursday, 6 p.m., Museum of African American History, 46 Joy Street, Boston)  

LIBRARY COMMISSIONERS: The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners holds its monthly business meeting and will receive an address from the director of the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. The board will also discuss its strategic planning process. (Thursday, 10 a.m., Grousbeck Center for Students and Technology, Perkins School, 175 North Beacon St., Watertown)

WOMEN2WOMEN ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION:  The Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus will co-host a 10th anniversary celebration for Women2Women (W2W), an international leadership program for young women.  Launched in 2006, W2W builds a network of promising young women ages 15 to 19 from around the world, providing them with tools, relationships, and opportunities to lead, according to organizers.  The program has impacted over 800 young women from nearly 60 different countries.  (Thursday, 5:30 p.m., The Hampshire House, 84 Beacon St., Boston)

VOTING RIGHTS ACT CELEBRATION: Massachusetts Democratic Party officials celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. The event will honor the achievements of the movement and the law, which was passed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965.  Tickets for the event are $25. (Thursday, 7 p.m., Hanover Theater, 2 Southbridge Street, Worcester)

SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY: The Massachusetts School Building Authority's Board of Directors, chaired by Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, meets to discuss MSBA finances, audit status updates and school construction projects. (Thursday, 10 a.m., 40 Broad Street, 2nd floor conference room, Boston)

LAVENDER LAW CONFERENCE: Attorney General Maura Healey will discuss her office's efforts around equality and civil rights and what more must be done nationally on these fronts in a keynote address at the Annual Lavender Law Conference hosted by the National LGBTQ Bar Association. (Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT, Chicago Marriott Downtown, Chicago)

FRIDAY, AUG. 7, 2015

DOI PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION: Health insurance will be the topic of a public comment session hosted by the Division of Insurance. (Friday, 10:30 a.m., 1000 Washington Street, Hearing Room 1-E, Boston)

CABINET MEETING:  Gov. Charles Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and members of the governor's cabinet meet.  (CLOSED PRESS)  (Friday, 10 a.m., Governor's Office, Room 360)

WELLFLEET TOWER PROJECT: A hearing officer from the Cape Cod Commission will open a pro-forma Development of Regional Impact hearing for procedural purposes related to a 90-foot communications tower project in Wellfleet. No substantive presentations will be made, no testimony will be taken and no substantive action will be taken regarding the project at the hearing, according to the Cape Cod Commission. (Friday, 10 a.m., Cape Cod Commission, 3225 Main St., Route 6A, Barnstable)

BAKER AT CHARTER SCHOOL:  Gov. Charles Baker plans to deliver remarks at the UP Summit at UP Academy Dorchester.  (Friday, 3:15 p.m., 35 Westville St., Dorchester)

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State House News Service

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