November Update: Does Your State Protect Research Materials?

Today we released the second edition of “Research Protections in Open Records Laws: An Analysis and Ranking.” This is the only resource available that examines how each of the U.S. states treats scientific and academic research under their open records laws.

These laws—designed to promote transparency in government—are increasingly misused by groups seeking to harass publicly funded scientists and inhibit progress in climate science, biomedicine, and other critical areas of research. Unfortunately, we found that the laws have not improved since we published the first edition in 2017.

The updated report is designed to help scientists and attorneys manage and respond to an open records request. And we hope it will encourage policymakers to consider the issues of scientific transparency and enact policies that protect research materials.

This report, like all of our work, is made possible by the generosity of our donors. As we head into the holidays, we want to thank you for supporting our mission. If you haven’t already, please make a gift to help us empower researchers with legal knowledge and sustain our efforts to protect the scientific endeavor.

Calling all active scientists attending the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting! Join us and the ACLU on Monday, December 9 for a workshop on participating in activism and advocacy. Visit our website for the details on this and our many other meeting events.

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