The segment below provides a brief overview of MACo’s work in the area of public information and ethics in the 2023 General Assembly.
County governments gather and maintain public information as part of their various functions. Compliance with the Maryland Public Information Act and maintenance of a high level of ethics in all government practices are priorities throughout the administrative agencies and legislative bodies of Maryland’s county governments. Through its advocacy and professional education in the areas of public information and ethics, MACo urges a balance between public safety, government efficiency, and public information demands and works with the State’s Office of the Attorney General and Ethics Commission on behalf of counties.
Follow these links for more coverage on our Conduit Street blog and Legislative Database.
MACo supported SB 40 – Public Information Act – Inspection of Records From Body-Worn Digital Recording Devices. This legislation would help establish guard rails for the release of footage from officer body-worn cameras. In accordance with the police reforms of 2021, all county law enforcement officers will be equipped with cameras by 2025. Similar to many other provisions in Maryland law, this bill would establish what information is eligible for release to a third-party requestor in fulfilling the intent of open records while protecting the privacy of victims and other individuals caught on camera without incident. SB 40 passed unanimously in the Senate, as it’s predecessors have for the last three years, but failed to pass the House.
Bill Information | MACo Coverage
