Merit Institute Merit

The Maryland Government Transparency & Performance Act (MD-GT&P)

Maryland state companion to GT&P. Strengthens the Maryland Public Information Act, inspector-general independence, and extends state-law whistleblower rewards under the Maryland False Claims Act (Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. § 8-101 et seq.).

THE MARYLAND GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & PERFORMANCE ACT (MD-GT&P)

Vehicle: State passage. Maryland General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Judicial Proceedings / Health and Government Operations.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Maryland Government Transparency & Performance Act (MD-GT&P).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that the Maryland Public Information Act operates under Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Title 4; that Maryland operates various agency inspectors general; and that the Maryland False Claims Act, Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 8-101 et seq., authorizes qui tam relators. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with collective bargaining and merit-system protections.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH MARYLAND LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Maryland Public Information Act” means Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Title 4.
  2. (b) “MFCA” means the Maryland False Claims Act, Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 8-101 et seq.
  3. (c) “State performance data” means outcome measures published by State agencies.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Maryland Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Title 4 (MPIA).
  • Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 8-101 et seq. (MFCA).
  • Md. Code, State Personnel and Pensions Art. Title 5 (whistleblower).
  • Collective bargaining rights under Md. Code, State Personnel and Pensions Art. Title 3.

TITLE II — STATE PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD

Sec. 201. Dashboard

  1. (a) The Department of Budget and Management shall publish a Maryland Performance Dashboard in machine-readable form, updated at least quarterly, crosswalked to Federal FPD.

TITLE III — OPEN RECORDS

Sec. 301. MPIA Strengthening

  1. (a) Reduce response time to 20 business days absent extraordinary circumstances.
  2. (b) Mandatory fee waivers for public-interest requesters under Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 4-206.
  3. (c) Public Access Ombudsman expanded authority consistent with Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 4-1B-04.

TITLE IV — INSPECTOR-GENERAL INDEPENDENCE

Sec. 401. Inspector-General Protections

  1. (a) Removal for cause only; findings reported to the Presiding Officers.
  2. (b) Budgetary and staffing independence for agency inspectors general under Md. Code, State Gov’t Art.

TITLE V — WHISTLEBLOWER AND QUI TAM

Sec. 501. MFCA Strengthening

  1. (a) Amendments to Md. Code, Gen. Prov. Art. Sec. 8-101 et seq. to (i) confirm relator share ranges, (ii) strengthen retaliation remedies, (iii) clarify public-disclosure bar.
  2. (b) Full collective-bargaining protections preserved under Md. Code, State Personnel and Pensions Art. Title 3.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on October 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: GT&P. Other Maryland bills: MD-ACSA, MD-MEWRA, MD-AI-Workforce.