Maryland Office of the Inspector General - Establishment

HB 1064 establishes a unified Maryland Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to replace the separate Education and Health Inspector General offices, creating a single oversight body for all state agencies. The bill sets rules for appointing the Inspector General (requiring a non-partisan affidavit and a 5-year term), mandates full cooperation from state agencies during audits and investigations, and protects OIG records from public disclosure under Maryland's Public Information Act. It also extends whistleblower protections to state employees who report concerns to the OIG and allows the Governor to transfer staff and funding to the new office. The bill directly affects state agencies (which must cooperate with the OIG) and state employees (who gain enhanced protections when reporting wrongdoing).