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SB0991 • 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
Senators Jennings , Jackson , Folden , Bailey , Hershey , Gallion , Corderman , Ready , Carozza , Salling , and West
Last action
2026-02-19
Official status
In the Senate - First Reading Senate Rules
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. 2026-02-19 Senate

    First Reading Senate Rules

  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.
*sb0991*

SENATE BILL 991
P3 6lr3712
CF HB 1620
By: Senators Jennings, Jackson, Folden, Bailey, Hershey, Gallion, Corderman,
Ready, Carozza, Salling, and West
Introduced and read first time: February 19, 2026
Assigned to: Rules

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 redisclosure 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

2 SENATE BILL 991

(ii) a federal statute or a regulation that is issued under the statute 1
and has the force of law; 2

(iii) the rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Maryland; or 3

(iv) an order of a court of record. 4

(b) If an applicant files a complaint with the Ombudsman challenging a denial or 5
the application of an exemption under this subtitle, the custodian shall demonstrate that: 6

(1) the denial or the exemption is clearly applicable to the requested public 7
record; and 8

(2) if inspection is denied under Part IV of this subtitle, the harm from 9
disclosure of the public record is greater than the public interest in access to the information 10
in the public record. 11

(C) (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SUBTITLE, A 12
CUSTODIAN SHALL ALLOW AN INSPECTOR GENERAL WHOSE OFFICE IS CREATED BY 13
STATE LAW OR LOCAL LAW TO INSPECT A PUBLIC RECORD OR ANY PART OF A PUBLIC 14
RECORD IF: 15

(I) A STATE OR LOCAL LAW AUTH ORIZES THE INSPECTOR 16
GENERAL TO HAVE ACCESS TO AND INSPECT THE PUBLIC RECORD; AND 17

(II) THE INSPECTOR GENERA L REQUIRES ACCESS TO THE 18
PUBLIC RECORD TO PERFORM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S DUTIES. 19

(2) ANY REDISCLOSURE BY A N INSPECTOR GEN ERAL OF A PUBLIC 20
RECORD RECEIVED UNDER THIS SECTION IS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS 21
TITLE. 22

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 23
October 1, 2026. 24