(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is celebrating International Open Data Day, which is celebrated on March 5, 2022, by recognizing the transparency and openness of Connecticut’s state government.
“During my administration we have been able to build upon tremendous improvements removing silos in state government to make data and information more clear, available, and useful, through our state’s open data portal, data.ct.gov,” Governor Lamont said. “The state’s open data efforts are extraordinarily beneficial to our residents, businesses, and governments, as we have the ability to make the data instantly available and customizable to the user. With this, we have been able to accurately report spending, provide transparency throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, assist with planning and development, and objectively guide decision-making. Our efforts have already received national recognition and I look forward to seeing what else we are able to do.”
Among some of the key open data initiatives launched recently, in conjunction with existing efforts, include:
- Collaborating with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and other agencies to make data about the impact of COVID-19 available on the portal, including data resources, daily reports, school-level information, vaccine distribution, and contact tracing;
- Supporting government transparency by publishing state expenditures and budgets, and data on how federal funds are allocated and used;
- Developing a new clearinghouse for maps and geospatial data, building on work by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Department of Transportation to make their data GIS data open and accessible; and
- Improving the usability of the Open Data Portal by launching a new homepage, ensuring data are up-to-date, documented clearly and thoroughly, and by providing “data stories” with narrative and visualizations, and improved training materials to assist people in navigating the resources on the portal.
Open Data Day is an annual celebration of open data all over the world. Groups from around the world create local events on the day where they will use open data in their communities. It is an opportunity to show the benefits of open data and encourage the adoption of open data policies in government, business, and civil society.