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HB1620 • 2026

Public Information Act - Inspectors General - Access of Public Records

Public Information Act - Inspectors General - Access of Public Records

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Delegates Stewart and Nawrocki
Last action
2026-02-21
Official status
In the House - First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations
Effective date
2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Public Information Act - Inspectors General - Access of Public Records

Requiring a custodian to allow an inspector general whose office is created by State law or local law to inspect a public record under certain circumstances; and providing that redisclosure of certain information is subject to certain restrictions.

What This Bill Does

  • Requiring a custodian to allow an inspector general whose office is created by State law or local law to inspect a public record under certain circumstances; and providing that redisclosure of certain information is subject to certain restrictions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-21 House

    First Reading House Rules and Executive Nominations

  2. Maryland General Assembly

    Text - First - Public Information Act - Inspectors General - Access of Public Records

Official Summary Text

Requiring a custodian to allow an inspector general whose office is created by State law or local law to inspect a public record under certain circumstances; and providing that redisclosure of certain information is subject to certain restrictions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1620*

HOUSE BILL 1620
P3 6lr3711
CF SB 991
By: Delegates Stewart and Nawrocki
Introduced and read first time: February 21, 2026
Assigned to: Rules and Executive Nominations

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Information Act – Inspectors General – Access of Public Records 2

FOR the purpose of requiring a custodian to allow a certain inspector general to inspect a 3
public record under certain circumstances; providing that red isclosure of certain 4
information is subject to certain restrictions; and generally relating to access to 5
public records by inspectors general. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – General Provisions 8
Section 4–301 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13

Article – General Provisions 14

4–301. 15

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a custodian shall deny inspection of a 16
public record or any part of a public record if: 17

(1) by law, the public record is privileged or confidential; or 18

(2) the inspection would be contrary to: 19

(i) a State statute; 20

(ii) a federal statute or a regulation that is issued under the statute 21
and has the force of law; 22
2 HOUSE BILL 1620

(iii) the rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Maryland; or 1

(iv) an order of a court of record. 2

(b) If an applicant files a complaint with the Ombudsman challenging a denial or 3
the application of an exemption under this subtitle, the custodian shall demonstrate that: 4

(1) the denial or the exemption is clearly applicable to the requested public 5
record; and 6

(2) if inspectio n is denied under Part IV of this subtitle, the harm from 7
disclosure of the public record is greater than the public interest in access to the information 8
in the public record. 9

(C) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SUBTITLE, A 10
CUSTODIAN SHALL ALLOW AN INSPECTOR GENERAL WHOSE OFFICE IS CREATED BY 11
STATE LAW OR LOCAL LAW TO INSPECT A PUBLIC RECORD OR ANY PART OF A PUBLIC 12
RECORD IF: 13

(I) A STATE OR LOCAL LAW AU THORIZES THE INSPECTOR 14
GENERAL TO HAVE ACCESS TO AND INSPECT THE PUBLIC RECORD; AND 15

(II) THE INSPECTOR GENERA L REQUIRES ACCESS TO THE 16
PUBLIC RECORD TO PERFORM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S DUTIES. 17

(2) ANY REDISCLOSURE BY AN INSPECTOR GENERAL OF A PUBLIC 18
RECORD RECEIVED UNDER THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS 19
TITLE. 20

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2026. 22