Baton Rouge, La. — Jan. 24, 2023 — Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome released the City-Parish’s 2022 Open Data Policy Report following its presentation at the Jan. 18 Metropolitan Council meeting. The annual report outlines the City-Parish’s ongoing efforts and successes in implementing its open data policy.

The comprehensive report highlights the significant expansion and reach of the open data program, which boasts the release of several new public datasets and dashboards utilizing the 9.2 million rows of data within the 234 datasets available across Open Data BR and EBRGIS, and the successful integration of data-driven decision making across key priority areas, including the City-Parish’s Blight Remediation Project, street sweeping service analysis, community-based public safety efforts, and drainage maintenance projects. Additionally, the report includes performance metrics for education and outreach initiatives, Open Data BR, and the EBRGIS platform. 

“Over the past several years, we have made significant progress in advancing our open data goals and continuing to prioritize transparency, data-driven decision making, and efficiency across our City-Parish operations,” said Mayor Broome. “As we move forward, we will continue to maintain our standing as a national leader for open data, using all the tools and technologies at our disposal to spark innovation, drive internal efficiencies, and enhance the services we provide to East Baton Rouge Parish residents.” 

In addition to key accomplishments, the report highlights several national recognitions from 2022, including:

• Bloomberg Philanthropies: City Data Alliance
• The Center for Digital Government: Government Experience Award
• The Center for Digital Government: Third Most Digital City in the U.S. 
• Results for America: Sharman Stein Award for Storytelling Changemakers 

To view the 2022 Open Data Policy Report, visit brla.gov/opendatareport. For more information on the City-Parish’s transparency initiatives, visit brla.gov/transparency.

About the Open Data Policy
The City-Parish’s Open Data Policy was established by Mayor Broome and unanimously adopted by the Metro Council in December 2017. It enacted an “open by default” mandate for all City-Parish data, designating the Department of Information Services as the lead agency responsible for policy implementation. The policy also established a Data Governance Committee comprising representatives from all City-Parish departments, incorporated requirements for City-Parish procurement and contracting, and requires an annual report on implementation progress.