Explanation of Bill S. 760

The Open Government Data Act aims to make data collected by the Federal Government more accessible and usable by the general public, businesses, academics, and others. It emphasizes the importance of transparency, effective governance, and innovation in utilizing government data.

The bill requires agencies to create and maintain an inventory of their data assets, categorizing them as public or nonpublic. Public data assets should be made available in an open format and under an open license, unless prohibited by law. Nonpublic data assets, which contain sensitive information, should be protected and maintained in a nonpublic section of the inventory.

Agencies are also tasked with improving their information resources management by using open formats for new data assets and developing open data plans to ensure data integrity and usefulness. The bill encourages agencies to engage with the public and other entities to leverage data for innovation and improvement.

In addition, the bill establishes a technology portal for sharing tools and best practices related to open data practices, requires agency reviews of their evaluation and analysis capabilities, and mandates reports on agency compliance with the bill's requirements.

The bill includes provisions for rule of construction to protect sensitive information exempt from public disclosure under existing laws and sets an effective date for implementation of the Act.