SB 573: Statewide open data portal.

Existing law, the California Public Records Act, requires state and local agencies to make their records available for public inspection, unless an exemption from disclosure applies. The act declares that access to information concerning the conduct of the peoples business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state. Existing law also requires every public agency to comply with the California Public Records Act and with any subsequent statutory enactment amending the act, or enacting or amending any successor act.

This bill would require a Chief Data Officer to be appointed by the Governor, on or before July 1, 2016, subject to Senate confirmation. The Chief Data Officer would report to the Secretary of Government Operations. The bill would require the Chief Data Officer to, among other things, create the statewide open data portal, as defined, to provide public access to data sets from agencies within the state. The bill would require each agency, as defined, to publish a summary listing of all of its available data sets on the portal. The bill would also require state agencies identified by the Chief Data Officer to appoint a data coordinator who would be responsible for compliance with these provisions. The bill would require any data published on the statewide open data portal or other open data portal operated by an agency to comply with all state and federal privacy laws and regulations. The bill would prohibit these provisions from affecting the obligation of an agency to provide notices or information to the public.