Boston council demands greater transparency, public participation in legislative process
Photo | Courtesy of Massachusetts Secretary of State
State House on Beacon Hill
An advocacy group that's pushed for legislative rules changes it says would boost transparency is touting support for its campaign across other levels of government.
The Boston City Council on Tuesday adopted a resolution urging the state Legislature "to reconsider efforts to expand transparency and information justice through its decision-making," citing recent House rules votes and saying that an "inaccessible process that keeps the people out" is a large part of the reason popular legislation stalls on Beacon Hill.
Councilor Julia Mejia, the resolution's sponsor, said it wasn't "about calling people out, but rather calling them in."
"While we push for greater transparency in the State House, we should also be looking at our body to make sure that we're doing everything possible to make sure we're not just creating space for people, but we are directly involving them in every part of our work," she said during the meeting.
The group Act on Mass, which had pushed for the House to approve rules changes to disclose representatives' committee votes and require 72 hours of public notice before voting on a bill, cheered the council's vote.
Last week, Act on Mass also highlighted a tweet from Congressman Seth Moulton, which said "The government works for the people — not the other way around. I fully support the effort to increase transparency in the statehouse and commend those who voted for it."
"Representative Moulton knows that transparency and accountability are essential to legislating fairly and in the best interests of constituents," said Brenna Ransden, deputy field director for the group's Peoples House Campaign. "We appreciate his support for this movement and encourage him to speak with the State Representatives in his district to urge them to support transparency."
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