§ 10-618. Permissible denials

   (a) In general. -- Unless otherwise provided by law, if a custodian believes that inspection of a part of a public record by the applicant would be contrary to the public interest, the custodian may deny inspection by the applicant of that part, as provided in this section.

(b) Interagency and intra-agency documents. -- A custodian may deny inspection of any part of an interagency or intra-agency letter or memorandum that would not be available by law to a private party in litigation with the unit.

(c) Examinations. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a custodian may deny inspection of test questions, scoring keys, and other examination information that relates to the administration of licenses, employment, or academic matters.

   (2) After a written promotional examination has been given and graded, a custodian shall permit a person in interest to inspect the examination and the results of the examination, but may not permit the person in interest to copy or otherwise to reproduce the examination.

(d) Research projects. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a custodian may deny inspection of a public record that contains the specific details of a research project that an institution of the State or of a political subdivision is conducting.

   (2) A custodian may not deny inspection of the part of a public record that gives only the name, title, expenditures, and date when the final project summary will be available.

(e) Real property. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection or other law, until the State or a political subdivision acquires title to property, a custodian may deny inspection of a public record that contains a real estate appraisal of the property.

   (2) A custodian may not deny inspection to the owner of the property.

(f) Investigations. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a custodian may deny inspection of:

      (i) records of investigations conducted by the Attorney General, a State's Attorney, a city or county attorney, a police department, or a sheriff;

      (ii) an investigatory file compiled for any other law enforcement, judicial, correctional, or prosecution purpose; or

      (iii) records that contain intelligence information or security procedures of the Attorney General, a State's Attorney, a city or county attorney, a police department, a State or local correctional facility, or a sheriff.

   (2) A custodian may deny inspection by a person in interest only to the extent that the inspection would:

      (i) interfere with a valid and proper law enforcement proceeding;

      (ii) deprive another person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication;

      (iii) constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

      (iv) disclose the identity of a confidential source;

      (v) disclose an investigative technique or procedure;

      (vi) prejudice an investigation; or

      (vii) endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.

(g) Site-specific location of certain plants, animals or property. --

   (1) A custodian may deny inspection of a public record that contains information concerning the site-specific location of an endangered or threatened species of plant or animal, a species of plant or animal in need of conservation, a cave, or a historic property as defined in § 5A-301 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.

   (2) A custodian may not deny inspection of a public record described in paragraph (1) of this subsection if requested by:

      (i) the owner of the land upon which the resource is located; or

      (ii) any entity that could take the land through the right of eminent domain.

(h) Inventions owned by State public institutions of higher education. --

   (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a custodian may deny inspection of that part of a public record that contains information disclosing or relating to an invention owned in whole or in part by a State public institution of higher education for 4 years to permit the institution to evaluate whether to patent or market the invention and pursue economic development and licensing opportunities related to the invention.

   (2) A custodian may not deny inspection of a part of a public record described in paragraph (1) of this subsection if:

      (i) the information disclosing or relating to an invention has been published or disseminated by the inventors in the course of their academic activities or disclosed in a published patent;

      (ii) the invention referred to in that part of the record has been licensed by the institution for at least 4 years; or

      (iii) 4 years have elapsed from the date of the written disclosure of the invention to the institution.

(i) Trade secrets, confidential commercial information, confidential financial information of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation. -- A custodian may deny inspection of that part of a public record that contains information disclosing or relating to a trade secret, confidential commercial information, or confidential financial information owned in whole or in part by:

   (1) the Maryland Technology Development Corporation; or

   (2) a public institution of higher education, if the information is part of the institution's activities under § 15-107 of the Education Article.

(j) Denial of inspection. --

   (1) Subject to paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, a custodian may deny inspection of:

      (i) response procedures or plans prepared to prevent or respond to emergency situations, the disclosure of which would reveal vulnerability assessments, specific tactics, specific emergency procedures, or specific security procedures;

      (ii) 1. building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings, diagrams, operational manuals, or other records of ports and airports and other mass transit facilities, bridges, tunnels, emergency response facilities or structures, buildings where hazardous materials are stored, arenas, stadiums, waste and water systems, and any other building, structure, or facility, the disclosure of which would reveal the building's, structure's or facility's internal layout, specific location, life, safety, and support systems, structural elements, surveillance techniques, alarm or security systems or technologies, operational and transportation plans or protocols, or personnel deployments; or

         2. records of any other building, structure, or facility, the disclosure of which would reveal the building's, structure's, or facility's life, safety, and support systems, surveillance techniques, alarm or security systems or technologies, operational and evacuation plans or protocols, or personnel deployments; or

      (iii) records prepared to prevent or respond to emergency situations identifying or describing the name, location, pharmaceutical cache, contents, capacity, equipment, physical features, or capabilities of individual medical facilities, storage facilities, or laboratories.

   (2) The custodian may deny inspection of a part of a public record under paragraph (1) of this subsection only to the extent that the inspection would:

      (i) jeopardize the security of any building, structure, or facility;

      (ii) facilitate the planning of a terrorist attack; or

      (iii) endanger the life or physical safety of an individual.

   (3) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a custodian may not deny inspection of a public record under paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection that relates to a building, structure, or facility that has been subjected to a catastrophic event, including a fire, explosion, or natural disaster.

      (ii) This paragraph does not apply to the records of any building, structure, or facility owned or operated by the State or any of its political subdivisions.

   (4) (i) Subject to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection and subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, a custodian may not deny inspection of a public record that relates to an inspection of or issuance of a citation concerning a building, structure, or facility by an agency of the State or any political subdivision.

      (ii) This paragraph does not apply to the records of any building, structure, or facility owned or operated by the State or any of its political subdivisions.

(k) Denial of inspection of public record. --

   (1) A custodian may deny inspection of any part of a public record that contains:

      (i) stevedoring or terminal services or facility use rates or proposed rates generated, received, or negotiated by the Maryland Port Administration or any private operating company created by the Maryland Port Administration;

      (ii) a proposal generated, received, or negotiated by the Maryland Port Administration or any private operating company created by the Maryland Port Administration for use of stevedoring or terminal services or facilities to increase waterborne commerce through the ports of the State; or

      (iii) except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, research or analysis related to maritime businesses or vessels compiled for the Maryland Port Administration or any private operating company created by the Maryland Port Administration to evaluate its competitive position with respect to other ports.

   (2) (i) A custodian may not deny inspection of any part of a public record under paragraph (1)(iii) of this subsection by the exclusive representative identified in Section 1 of the memorandum of understanding, or any identical section of a successor memorandum, between the State and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees dated June 28, 2000 or the memorandum of understanding, or any identical section of a successor memorandum, between the State and the Maryland Professional Employees Council dated August 18, 2000 if the part of the public record:

         1. is related to State employees; and

         2. would otherwise be available to the exclusive representative under Article 4, Section 12 of the memorandum of understanding or any identical section of a successor memorandum of understanding.

      (ii) Before the inspection of any part of a public record under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph, the exclusive representative shall enter into a nondisclosure agreement with the Maryland Port Administration to ensure the confidentiality of the information provided.

(l) Inspection of public records of University of Maryland University College. --

   (1) A custodian may deny inspection of any part of a public record that relates to the University of Maryland University College's competitive position with respect to other providers of education services and that contains:

      (i) fees, tuition, charges, and any information supporting fees, tuition, and charges, proposed, generated, received, or negotiated for receipt by the University of Maryland University College, except fees, tuition, and charges published in catalogues and ordinarily charged to students;

      (ii) a proposal generated, received, or negotiated by the University of Maryland University College, other than with its students, for the provision of education services; or

      (iii) any research, analysis, or plans compiled by or for the University of Maryland University College relating to its operations or proposed operations.

   (2) A custodian may not deny inspection of any part of a public record under paragraph (1) of this subsection if:

      (i) the record relates to a procurement by the University of Maryland University College;

      (ii) the University of Maryland University College is required to develop or maintain the record by law or at the direction of the Board of Regents of the University System of Maryland; or

      (iii) 1. the record is requested by the exclusive representative of any bargaining unit of employees of the University of Maryland University College;

         2. the record relates to a matter that is the subject of collective bargaining negotiations between the exclusive representative and the University of Maryland University College; and

         3. the exclusive representative has entered into a nondisclosure agreement with the University of Maryland University College to ensure the confidentiality of the information provided.

(m) Denial of inspection of public record -- Public institutions of higher education. --

   (1) (i) In this subsection the following words have the meanings indicated.

      (ii) "Directory information" has the same meaning as provided in 20 U.S.C. § 1232g.

      (iii) "Personal information" means:

         1. an address;

         2. a phone number;

         3. an electronic mail address; or

         4. directory information.

   (2) A custodian of a record kept by a public institution of higher education that contains personal information relating to a student, former student, or applicant may:

      (i) require that a request to inspect a record containing personal information be made in writing and sent by first-class mail; and

      (ii) if the information is requested for commercial purposes, deny inspection of the part of the record containing the personal information.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 76A, § 3; 1984, ch. 284, § 1; ch. 285, § 8; 1991, chs. 330, 378; 1998, ch. 218; 1999, ch. 74; 2000, ch. 13; 2002, chs. 3, 357, 403; 2003, ch. 110; 2004, ch. 25; 2005, ch. 44, § 1; ch. 357; ch. 440, § 3; ch. 485; 2008, ch. 83; 2009, ch. 357.