Information Technology – State and Higher Education E–Mail – Requirements
Summary
HB718 updates Maryland’s information technology law to extend certain State IT planning requirements to public institutions of higher education, with specified exceptions. The bill requires governing boards of those institutions to develop and submit information technology policies, standards, and plans to the Secretary of Information Technology, and allows the Secretary to incorporate them into the State master plan if they are consistent with that plan. If not consistent, the submissions must be revised and resubmitted.
The bill also establishes a State policy that e-mail systems and resources for State and higher education employees are intended to support State business and are not public forums. It requires the relevant policies, plans, and standards to include protections against spam e-mail and other non-State-business use, including automatic spam filtering for employee accounts, while still permitting incidental personal use that has only a de minimis impact and is consistent with professional norms.
Impact
HB718 amends the State Finance and Procurement Article to bring certain public higher education institutions within the State’s IT planning framework and to require e-mail security and acceptable-use provisions in those plans and standards. It affects the governance of State and higher education e-mail systems, the responsibilities of institutional governing boards, and the oversight role of the Secretary of Information Technology. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It received favorable committee action in the House and passed both chambers unanimously, with 127-0 in the House and 34-0 in the Senate. The voting record suggests consensus around improving e-mail security and clarifying acceptable use of State and higher education e-mail systems.
Contention
No committee testimony or floor debate is provided, and the recorded votes show no opposition. The only potentially sensitive policy issue reflected in the text is the balance between restricting e-mail systems to official business and allowing incidental personal use by employees. Another structural issue is the extension of State IT planning requirements to public higher education institutions, though the bill preserves existing exceptions for Morgan State University, the University System of Maryland, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Baltimore City Community College.