SB 449

Public Information Act – Revisions (Equitable Access to Records Act)

Sponsor: Cheryl C. Kagan (District 17)Committee: Education, Health, and Environmental AffairsSubject: State Government - Regulations and ProceduresStatus: Rereferred to Health and Government Operations (as of Dec 1, 2021)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring each official custodian to adopt a policy of proactive disclosure of public records available for inspection; authorizing the official custodian to adopt a policy appropriate to the type of public record, to reflect the staff and resources of the governmental unit, and to include publication of public records on certain websites; altering the composition of the State Public Information Act Compliance Board; requiring the Board to receive, review, and resolve certain complaints from applicants; etc.

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Analysis reads the bill text, the fiscal note, and the witness list. It is generated by Claude and reviewed by nobody, so check the source documents before you rely on it.

Testimony (33)

MGA witness list

FAV 21FavorableFWA 3Favorable with amendmentsUNF 4UnfavorableINFO 5Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Spielberger, Joe	ACLU of Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Clark, Robin Jessicalobbyist	Chesapeake Bay Foundation	Oral
FAV	Haren, Angela	Chesapeake Legal Alliance	Written (PDF)
FAV	Antoine, Joannelobbyist	Common Cause Maryland	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Cabrera, Natalia	Environmental Integrity Project	Oral
FAV	Jordan, Lisae Clobbyist	Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)	Position only
FAV	Kagan, Sen. Cheryl	Maryland State Senate	Position only
FAV	Britt, Adiena	N/A	Position only
FAV	Kershner, Lisa	Public Access Ombudsman	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Gardner, Debra	Public Justice Center	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Demnowicz, Cristi	Represent Maryland	Written (PDF)
FAV	Bassett, Elle	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ceruolo, Rich	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kagan, Senator Cheryl	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Plymyer, David	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Powers, Laurie	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Ross, Kyle	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Senator Kagan, Senator Kaganlegislator	Individual	Oral
FAV	Snyder, Rebeccalobbyist	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Soreng, Nancy	Individual	Written (PDF)
FAV	Wigfield, Darren	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
UNF	Clapsaddle, Mary	Frostburg State University	Position only
UNF	Bennardi, Maryland Department of Health /Office of Governmen	Maryland Dept. of Health	Written (PDF)
UNF	Hogan, Patricklobbyist	University System of Maryland	Written (PDF)
UNF	Snider, Jim	Individual	Oral + Written (PDF)
FWA	Tkacik, Christopher	University of Maryland, Baltimore County	Oral
FWA	Anderson Wright, Laura	University of Maryland, College Park	Oral
FWA	Maloney, Kathleen	Individual	Written (PDF)
INFO	Beskid, Jennifer	Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services	Written (PDF)
INFO	abbott, tyler	MDE	Written (PDF)
INFO	Westervelt, Patricia	Maryland Department of Transportation	Written (PDF)
INFO	Fahrig, Landon	Maryland Energy Administration	Written (PDF)
INFO	Jung, Roy	Office of the Attorney General -- Legislative Affairs Unit	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

ACLU of MarylandFAV 1

Chesapeake Bay FoundationFAV 1

Chesapeake Legal AllianceFAV 1

Common Cause MarylandFAV 1

Department of Public Safety and Correctional ServicesINFO 1

Environmental Integrity ProjectFAV 1

Frostburg State UniversityUNF 1

Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)FAV 1

Maryland Department of TransportationINFO 1

Maryland Dept. of HealthUNF 1

Maryland Energy AdministrationINFO 1

Maryland State SenateFAV 1

MDEINFO 1

N/AFAV 1

Office of the Attorney General -- Legislative Affairs UnitINFO 1

Public Access OmbudsmanFAV 1

Public Justice CenterFAV 1

Represent MarylandFAV 1

University of Maryland, Baltimore CountyFWA 1

University of Maryland, College ParkFWA 1

University System of MarylandUNF 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVClark, Robin JessicaChesapeake Bay FoundationRegistered for: Chesapeake Bay Foundation; American Heart Association; Indivior, Inc.

FAVAntoine, JoanneCommon Cause MarylandRegistered for: Common Cause Maryland

FAVJordan, Lisae CMaryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA)Registered for: Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault

FAVSnyder, RebeccaRegistered for: MD/DC Press Association

UNFHogan, PatrickUniversity System of MarylandRegistered for: ALS Association, The; Adobe Inc.; Amgen, Inc.; Annie E. Casey Foundation, Inc., The; AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP; Capital One…