Senate Executive Departments and Administration Committee
Kevin Condict 271-7875
HB 598, establishing a committee to study data sources of all entities operated by all branches of government that are or are potentially made available to the public, identify the data formats of those sources, and recommend legislation to standardize types and formats of data output from all or select governmental entities.
Hearing Date: April 16, 2025
Time Opened: 9:38 a.m. Time Closed: 9:42 a.m.
Members of the Committee Present: Senators Pearl, McGough, Gannon, Altschiller and Reardon
Members of the Committee Absent : None
Bill Analysis: This bill establishes a committee to study data sources of all entities operated by all three branches of government that are or are potentially made available to the public, identify the data formats of those sources, and recommend legislation to standardize types and formats of data output from all or select governmental entities.
Sponsors:
Rep. Corcoran | Rep. Erf | Rep. Osborne |
Rep. Warden |
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Who supports the bill: Rep. Carol McGuire (Merr. 27), and Curtis Howland.
Who opposes the bill: None.
Who is neutral on the bill: James Gardner.
Summary of testimony presented:
Representative Carol McGuire. Merrimack 27
- Rep. McGuire introduced House Bill 598.
- Rep. McGuire explained that this bill creates a committee, primarily composed of legislators, to look at the data that agencies are gathering, look at the formats to see if there is a way to make it more efficient, more consistent, or more available.
- Rep. McGuire explained that the House contains at least two former professors of computer science and a large number of people who made their fortunes in data analysis and computer work. She said they decided those people could be usefully used to look at this issue.
- Rep. McGuire mentioned the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. She said it was created primarily because the insurance company which had the data did not make it available to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or the Department of Administration Services (DAS) in a way that those agencies could use it.
- Rep. McGuire said there are other similar cases. She said the bail reform issue turned out to be that the various police departments and the courts could not communicate with each other.
- Rep. McGuire explained that the committee will have four members of the House and one member of the Senate. She said the committee will look at the data that is currently being collected, figure out what could be done to improve it to make it more secure and private, and keep personal identifiable data out.
- Rep. McGuire said they want to have access agencies that collect the data, look at the formatting, and figure out what could be done to improve the availability and usefulness of the data.
- Sen. Pearl noted that the Legislative Office Building will be closing this summer. He asked if that created any concern for study committees being able to perform their duties.
- Rep. McGuire suspected that the committee members would be happy to meet on Zoom. She said there are many buildings around the City of Concord and the state that can be used.
KC
Date Hearing Report completed: April 22, 2025