(a)    There is a Joint Committee on Legislative Information Technology and Open Government.

(b)    (1)    The Committee consists of 12 members.

(2)    Of the 12 members:

(i)    6 shall be members of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of the Senate; and

(ii)    6 shall be members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House.

(c)    From among the membership of the Committee, the President of the Senate shall appoint a Senator to serve as the Senate Chair of the Committee, and the Speaker of the House shall appoint a Delegate to serve as the House Chair of the Committee.

(d)    The Department of Legislative Services shall provide staff assistance to the Committee.

(e)    The Committee shall:

(1)    review and evaluate legislative information technology systems and goals for the General Assembly and its staff agencies;

(2)    identify areas in which the State can improve its technology, Web sites, programs, and services to increase transparency, citizen engagement, and public awareness of and access to government resources, publications, and actions;

(3)    evaluate the effects of transparency and open government policies and actions on the security of State information technology systems and information held by State units;

(4)    make recommendations regarding:

(i)    legislative information technology systems and goals for the General Assembly and its staff agencies;

(ii)    policies or actions to enhance the security of State information technology systems and information held by State units; and

(iii)    laws, programs, services, or budgetary priorities necessary to ensure and promote transparency and open government in the State; and

(5)    perform any other activity related to legislative information technology systems or open government as designated by the cochairs of the Committee.

(f)    (1)    Subject to § 2–1257 of this title, the Committee shall submit a report to the Legislative Policy Committee on or before December 1 each year.

(2)    The report shall include:

(i)    a description of the work of the Committee; and

(ii)    any recommendations of the Committee.