Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF1999 Compare Versions

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11 1.1 A bill for an act​
22 1.2 relating to government data practices; adding certain restrictions on public data​
3-1.3 requests; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 13.03, subdivision 3.​
4-1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
5-1.5 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 13.03, subdivision 3, is amended to read:​
6-1.6 Subd. 3.Request for access to data.(a) Upon request to a responsible authority or​
7-1.7designee, a person shall be permitted to inspect and copy public government data at​
8-1.8reasonable times and places, and, upon request, shall be informed of the data's meaning. If​
9-1.9a person requests access for the purpose of inspection, the responsible authority may not​
10-1.10assess a charge or require the requesting person to pay a fee to inspect data.​
11-1.11 (b) For purposes of this section, "inspection" includes, but is not limited to, the visual​
12-1.12inspection of paper and similar types of government data. Inspection does not include​
13-1.13printing copies by the government entity, unless printing a copy is the only method to provide​
14-1.14for inspection of the data. In the case of data stored in electronic form and made available​
15-1.15in electronic form on a remote access basis to the public by the government entity, inspection​
16-1.16includes remote access to the data by the public and the ability to print copies of or download​
17-1.17the data on the public's own computer equipment. Nothing in this section prohibits a​
18-1.18government entity from charging a reasonable fee for remote access to data under a specific​
19-1.19statutory grant of authority. A government entity may charge a fee for remote access to data​
20-1.20where either the data or the access is enhanced at the request of the person seeking access.​
21-1.21 (c) The responsible authority or designee shall provide copies of public data upon request.​
22-1.22If a person requests copies or electronic transmittal of the data to the person, the responsible​
23-1.23authority may require the requesting person to pay the actual costs of searching for and​
3+1.3 requests to a school district; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 13.03, by​
4+1.4 adding a subdivision.​
5+1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
6+1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 13.03, is amended by adding a subdivision​
7+1.7to read:​
8+1.8 Subd. 3a.Data requests to school districts.(a) For purposes of this subdivision, "school​
9+1.9district" means an independent or special school district, as defined in section 120A.05.​
10+1.10 (b) The provisions in this subdivision apply to a request made to a school district to​
11+1.11inspect or receive copies of public government data pursuant to subdivision 3. The provisions​
12+1.12in this subdivision are in addition to those contained in subdivision 3, except that when the​
13+1.13provisions of this subdivision conflict with those of subdivision 3, this subdivision prevails.​
14+1.14This subdivision does not apply to a request made by a data subject under section 13.04.​
15+1.15 (c) A person may not request public data from a school district anonymously. The​
16+1.16requesting person must provide the school district's responsible authority or designee with​
17+1.17the identification credentials required by the responsible authority.​
18+1.18 (d) In addition to any other fees or charges allowable under this chapter, if a requesting​
19+1.19person fails to appear to inspect the requested data, the responsible authority may require​
20+1.20the requesting person to pay the costs authorized to be charged under subdivision 3, paragraph​
21+1.21(c), plus the cost of employee time spent separating public from not public data.​
2422 1​Section 1.​
25-REVISOR VH H1999-1​HF1999 FIRST ENGROSSMENT​
26-158​
27-Printed​
28-Page No.​State of Minnesota​
23+REVISOR VH/NS 25-03188​02/26/25 ​
24+State of Minnesota​
2925 This Document can be made available​
3026 in alternative formats upon request​
3127 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES​
3228 H. F. No. 1999​
3329 NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
3430 Authored by Greene, Jordan, Falconer, Bahner, Virnig and others​03/06/2025​
35-The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law​
36-Adoption of Report: Placed on the General Register as Amended​04/10/2025​
37-Read for the Second Time​ 2.1retrieving government data, including the cost of employee time, and for making, certifying,​
38-2.2and electronically transmitting the copies of the data or the data, but may not charge for​
39-2.3separating public from not public data. However, if 100 or fewer pages of black and white,​
40-2.4letter or legal size paper copies are requested, actual costs shall not be used, and instead,​
41-2.5the responsible authority may charge no more than 25 cents for each page copied. If the​
42-2.6responsible authority or designee is not able to provide copies at the time a request is made,​
43-2.7copies shall be supplied as soon as reasonably possible.​
44-2.8 (d) When a request under this subdivision involves any person's receipt of copies of​
45-2.9public government data that has commercial value and is a substantial and discrete portion​
46-2.10of or an entire formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, process,​
47-2.11database, or system developed with a significant expenditure of public funds by the​
48-2.12government entity, the responsible authority may charge a reasonable fee for the information​
49-2.13in addition to the costs of making and certifying the copies. Any fee charged must be clearly​
50-2.14demonstrated by the government entity to relate to the actual development costs of the​
51-2.15information. The responsible authority, upon the request of any person, shall provide​
52-2.16sufficient documentation to explain and justify the fee being charged.​
53-2.17 (e) The responsible authority of a government entity that maintains public government​
54-2.18data in a computer storage medium shall provide to any person making a request under this​
55-2.19section a copy of any public data contained in that medium, in electronic form, if the​
56-2.20government entity can reasonably make the copy or have a copy made. This does not require​
57-2.21a government entity to provide the data in an electronic format or program that is different​
58-2.22from the format or program in which the data are maintained by the government entity. The​
59-2.23entity may require the requesting person to pay the actual cost of providing the copy.​
60-2.24 (f) If the responsible authority or designee determines that the requested data is classified​
61-2.25so as to deny the requesting person access, the responsible authority or designee shall inform​
62-2.26the requesting person of the determination either orally at the time of the request, or in​
63-2.27writing as soon after that time as possible, and shall cite the specific statutory section,​
64-2.28temporary classification, or specific provision of federal law on which the determination is​
65-2.29based. Upon the request of any person denied access to data, the responsible authority or​
66-2.30designee shall certify in writing that the request has been denied and cite the specific statutory​
67-2.31section, temporary classification, or specific provision of federal law upon which the denial​
68-2.32was based.​
69-2.33 (g) If a responsible authority has notified the requesting person that responsive data or​
70-2.34copies are available for inspection or collection, and the requesting person does not inspect​
71-2.35the data or collect the copies within five days of the notification, the responsible authority​
31+The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary Finance and Civil Law​ 2.1 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment and​
32+2.2applies to data requests made on or after that date.​
7233 2​Section 1.​
73-REVISOR VH H1999-1​HF1999 FIRST ENGROSSMENT​ 3.1may suspend any further response to the request until the requesting person inspects the​
74-3.2data that has been made available, or collects and pays for the copies that have been produced.​
75-3​Section 1.​
76-REVISOR VH H1999-1​HF1999 FIRST ENGROSSMENT​
34+REVISOR VH/NS 25-03188​02/26/25 ​