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SD 315

An Act establishing the Massachusetts open data standard

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Dylan Fernandes

SD 315 - An Act establishing the Massachusetts open data standard OverviewBill Number: SD 315 Title: An Act establishing the Massachusetts open data standard Status: House concur

House concurred
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Bill Summary · SD 315

SD 315 - An Act establishing the Massachusetts open data standard

Overview

Bill Number: SD 315
Title: An Act establishing the Massachusetts open data standard
Status: House concurred
Introduced: February 27, 2025

Purpose and Intent

The primary goal of this bill is to establish a comprehensive open data standard for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The intent is to increase transparency, improve data-driven decision making, and foster innovation by making government data more accessible to the public, researchers, and the technology sector.

Key Provisions

  • Requires all state agencies and departments to publish their data in a standardized, machine-readable format online
  • Mandates the development of an open data portal to serve as a centralized repository for published datasets
  • Establishes an Open Data Advisory Board to oversee implementation, set data standards, and provide guidance to agencies
  • Requires agencies to review and prioritize datasets for publication based on public interest and usefulness
  • Directs the Chief Information Officer to provide training and technical assistance to help agencies comply
  • Prohibits the charging of fees for access to or use of published open data

Affected Parties and Impacts

  • State government agencies and departments will be required to dedicate resources to identifying, formatting, and publishing their data
  • The general public, researchers, journalists, and technology companies will gain access to a wide range of government data that was previously difficult to obtain
  • Increased transparency and data availability is expected to drive innovation, improve government accountability, and inform public policy decisions

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

The bill has passed the state Senate and is currently under consideration in the House of Representatives. If the House concurs, the bill will be sent to the Governor for signature. Once enacted, state agencies will have 12 months to comply with the new open data requirements.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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