Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act

The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, as the title suggests, requires agencies to collect data to drive key agency policy decisions. This act creates a new role at each agency, the Evaluation Officer, who is responsible for reviewing and assessing the use of data for policy-related activities in the agency.

Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act

The Evidence-Based Policymaking Act also incorporated the Open, Public, Electronic and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act. This codified many of the requirements under The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum M-13-13. Among the requirements, it requires agencies to proactively publish open data, and all data assets must be released in a machine-readable format.

This act created the position of the Chief Data Officer (CDO) at each agency. This role shares some responsibilities for technology management and security with the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), though in most cases the CIO retains the primary authority. However, the CDO may be positioned anywhere in the organization - sometimes reporting to the CIO, but just as often in an arbitrary other office, such as at The Small Business Administration (SBA) where they’re part of the CFO’s office. Due to no funding being provided with the Act - and thus no additional staff slots - in many agencies the CDO role was assigned as an additional title for an existing staff member. For instance, at The Department of Justice (DOJ) the CIO is also the CDO. The act also created the The Federal Chief Data Officers Council (CDOC).

Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2018

The Evidence-Based Policymaking Act also expanded upon the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act. This update directs statistical agencies to assess their usage and disclosure of confidential information. It also makes it a felony for staff to deliberately disclose such info.

This act also directs statistical agencies to find opportunities to share information with each other to reduce duplicative actions.