Minnesota House Bill HF2641

Minnesota 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/6/23
• Refer: 3/6/23

Caption

Data protection in tax proceedings modified, and notice of data exchanges required.

Impact

This bill will have significant implications for the management and protection of income property data within the state, specifically affecting the roles of assessors and responsible authorities regarding data sharing. The proposed modifications require that before private or nonpublic data is disclosed in tax court proceedings, property owners must be notified, which promotes transparency and consent regarding their financial information. This shift is intended to enhance data privacy and protect taxpayers from unauthorized disclosures.

Summary

House File 2641, introduced by Representative Scott, aims to modify the protection of data in certain tax proceedings and requires notification of data exchanges. The bill proposes amendments to several sections of the Minnesota Statutes, particularly those related to the classification of income property assessment data. It seeks to ensure that private or nonpublic data cannot be used in state tax court proceedings unless the property owner provides express consent, thus enhancing the privacy of sensitive financial information.

Contention

There are potential points of contention surrounding HF2641, particularly regarding the balance between data transparency and privacy. Proponents of the bill argue it is necessary to safeguard the private financial data of property owners against unwarranted exposure during legal proceedings. However, opponents might express concerns about the implications this has for accessibility to essential property data for taxpayers and assessors alike, particularly in a tax assessment context where timely and accurate information is critical.