MD HB262

Renames the "Council on Open Data" to "Council for Open Data" and reduces membership from 37 to 11 members, eliminating 25 executive branch agency heads and replacing them with the State Chief Data Officer as chair

Changes local government representation from 5 regional appointees to 3, consolidating Maryland's 24 jurisdictions into three geographic groupings

Requires the 5 private/academic/nonprofit sector appointees to include at least one representative each from the university, private, and nonprofit sectors

Adds new Council responsibilities including advising on data initiatives and priorities, and identifying partnerships to connect Maryland data with communities and social service organizations

Takes effect July 1, 2026