BALTIMORE — Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony Thompson received notice of an official legal opinion issued by the Maryland Attorney General's Office clarifying local governments' obligations to follow mandatory confidentiality provisions outlined in state law, officials say.
These provisions include protections for personnel records, medical information, and financial information.
This prevents such information from going to an inspector general, even when law or charter provisions seek to expand the scope of what a local inspector general may access.
This development follows advice from Senator Antonio Hayes on the issue after the introduction of legislation regarding the Baltimore County Inspector General.
As a result, Baltimore has acted on the recommendations and taken necessary steps to comply with state law.
This includes revisions to the OIG's direct access to records, files, and communications.
"These measures will not weaken the OIG. They protect the integrity of OIG investigations and strengthen the City's ability to defend them, as the OIG will still be able to request and obtain records that do not contain materials protected from disclosure under the MPIA. They also ensure that both the OIG and the City comply with State law—law that the City cannot waive and that local enactments cannot override," the recommendations stated.
