More often than not, Massachusetts has been hailed as one of the worst states in terms of access to information, blocking access to the judiciary, the legislature, and the office of the governor. Even more alarming, lengthy response times and frequently cited exemptions by its police departments all contribute to that reputation for restrictiveness. In fact, in 2015, the Massachusetts State Police won a unique award for its “contributions” to access.

This week, see how FOIA has helped open a secretive EPA, what you helped uncover in Rumsfeld’s memos, and which agencies made the worst of the worst - plus how you can win free MuckRock requests and swag!