The Society of Professional Journalists has named Massachusetts the ‘winner’ of its annual Black Hole Award, a dishonor recognizing state entities that demonstrate a lack of transparency and disregard for the public’s right to know. 

The Bay State was nominated by its own chapter, SPJ New England, and ultimately selected for its broad exemptions, weak enforcement mechanisms, and persistent delays in the state’s public record law, which limit access to government information.

SPJ alleges that requests for public records are frequently ignored, subject to excessive fees, and inconsistently scrutinized across agencies, with little oversight or accountability.

“The public should not have to fight, wait, or pay exorbitant costs to understand how their government operates,” said SPJ National President Chris R. Vaccaro. “Transparency delayed or denied is accountability denied – and that undermines the very foundation of public trust.”

Massachusetts is the only state in which the judiciary, legislature, and governor’s office all claim exemption from public records law. Even when requesting records to which the public has a legal entitlement, compelling the state to release the information can require costly legal battles that most individuals or organizations cannot afford.

“Massachusetts is very much an outlier when it comes to the public records law and transparency, all of which makes this latest dishonor by the SPJ a well-deserved distinction,” said New England First Amendment Coalition (NEFAC) Executive Director Justin Silverman. 

Silverman explained that the state can be either explicitly exempt from public record law or, in the governor’s case, points to a debatable interpretation of court decisions. “No matter who’s in office, they’re not going to voluntarily follow the public records law,” he said.

He added that the only way the state might shed its Black Hole status is through either legislative action or at the ballot box, though he does not believe it to be a priority for the legislature at this time. 

Instead, voters may consider An Initiative Petition for a Law to Improve Access to Public Records at the 2026 midterm elections. The ballot measure would make most records held by the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law.

“The more secrecy there is, the more likely that those who represent us will find opportunities to act in their own interest and not in their constituents,” Silverman said. “Even if we have the most noble, well-meaning, and competent lawmakers in office, we still need that high degree of transparency, just for assurances among the public that our representatives are doing the right thing.”

Massachusetts is not alone in neglecting the public’s right to know. Last year’s Black Hole recipient, the Utah State Legislature, undermined transparency by amending the state’s Government Access and Management Act to block the release of public records, despite court orders mandating their disclosure.

The intention of the award is to call attention to the actions and policies that restrict public access and encourage reforms that strengthen open records, open meetings, and the free flow of information at all levels of government.

“Access to public records is not optional – it is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy,” said SPJ Freedom of Information Committee Chair Michael Morisy. “When broad swaths of government operate outside public records laws, or when compliance is routinely delayed or obstructed, the public’s right to know is fundamentally compromised.”