This is the time of the year, when many large state and local organizations hold their conferences, with an ample supply of honors and awards.

But Massachusetts received an award last week that is far from an honor, but more like a devastating critique. It’s called the “Black Hole Award,” and is given  annually by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), “the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and upholding high ethical standards,” according to its website. 

It is presented each year during Sunshine Week, which is a nonpartisan collaboration to focus on the importance of public records and open government, coordinated by the Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications.

As the SPJ describes the award, it is “an annual dishonor recognizing government entities that demonstrate a troubling lack of transparency and disregard for the public’s right to know.”

Massachusetts was proclaimed to be this year’s winner because of “deficiencies in the state’s public records law, including broad exemptions, weak enforcement mechanisms and persistent delays that limit access to government information.”

The committee which selected Massachusetts noted that the state “is not alone in facing transparency challenges, with similar issues emerging in states across the country. However, the scope and persistence of these issues within Massachusetts make it a particularly clear example of the systemic barriers that continue to limit public access to government information.”

As the SPJ explained, “Despite a legal framework that purports to guarantee access to public records, Massachusetts remains one of the few states in which the governor’s office, legislature and judiciary are largely exempt from public records requirements – leaving significant portions of the state government shielded from public scrutiny”

Additionally, the SPJ’s reporting demonstrated that:

• “Requests for public records are frequently delayed or ignored, despite statutory deadlines”

• “Excessive fees are sometimes used to discourage or block access to records”

• “Enforcement mechanisms are limited, often leaving requesters with no option but costly and time-consuming litigation”

• “Compliance is inconsistent across agencies, with little centralized oversight or accountability”

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