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Read. Follow. Verify.Maryland reduces Council for Open Data membership to 11 and designates State Chief Data Officer as chair
Last action · April 14, 2026: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 105
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What This Bill Does
Senate Bill 200 renames the Council on to the Council for Open Data, reduces its membership from 37 to 11, and adds duties regarding data initiatives and community partnerships, taking effect July 1, 2026.
The measure restructures state data governance by removing dozens of agency secretaries from the council, adding the State Chief Data Officer as chair, and requiring new efforts to connect government data with local communities and social service organizations.
- The Council on Open Data was originally established to promote public access to digital government information and data portals across Maryland state agencies. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
State agencies
State agency representation on the council is restructured, changing how executive departments participate in open data governance.
Local government entities
The number of local elected officials or employees appointed to the council is reduced from five to three.
Private, academic, and nonprofit sector members
Five sector members continue to serve, with newly mandated representation from university, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new name of the Council on Open Data?
How many members serve on the restructured council?
Who serves as the chair of the Council for Open Data?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
14 actions- Apr 14, 2026Governor of MarylandEnrolledApproved by the Governor - Chapter 105
- Apr 8, 2026SenateFloorReturned Passed
- Apr 8, 2026HouseFloorThird Reading Passed (122-11)
- Apr 3, 2026HouseFloorFavorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
- Apr 3, 2026HouseCommitteeFavorable Report by Government, Labor, and Elections
- Mar 26, 2026HouseHearing 4/02 at 1:00 p.m.
Show 8 earlier actions
- Feb 27, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred Government, Labor, and Elections
- Feb 26, 2026SenateFloorThird Reading Passed (44-0)
- Feb 24, 2026SenateFloorSecond Reading Passed with Amendments
- Feb 24, 2026SenateFavorable with Amendments { 953728/1 Adopted
- Feb 23, 2026SenateCommitteeFavorable with Amendments Report by Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Feb 3, 2026SenateHearing 2/12 at 2:00 p.m.
- Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroducedFirst Reading Education, Energy, and the Environment
- Sep 26, 2025SenateIntroducedPre-filed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Streamlining State Advisory Board
The legislation significantly shrinks the administrative footprint of the data council from 37 members down to 11, concentrating leadership under the State Chief Data Officer.
Connected Entities
Sources
mgaleg.maryland.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance45How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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