Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf Opens State Data With Executive Order
Pennsylvania will open government data to the public in machine-readable format, under an executive order issued this week by Gov. Tom Wolf (D). The executive order directs the Office of Administration to establish a central repository for open data published…
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by state agencies, and help agencies identify, secure and release data sets. It requires agencies to protect sensitive information. “One of our most valuable and underutilized resources in state government is data,” he said in a news release Tuesday. “Our goal is to make data available in order to engage citizens, create economic opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs, and develop innovative policy solutions that improve program delivery and streamline operations.” The open data portal is expected to launch this summer, the governor’s office said. “Making government data easily accessible benefits the public in many ways,” said Erik Arneson, executive director of the Office of Open Records. “Experience has shown that a good state-level open data portal will lead to cost savings for the government, opportunities for businesses, and more information for citizens.” Philadelphia and a western Pennsylvania group -- including Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh -- had open data initiatives before the state executive order. At the federal level, Democratic and Republican members of Congress last week unveiled legislation to require the government to share data by default (see 1604140027).