The Minnesota Data Practices Act …and what it means to you

MN Statutes & Rules Control how we  Collect  Keep  Use  Release …data about you

Classifications of data  Public  Private  Non-public  Confidential  Protected non-public

About human beings Not Public Data Private Data Accessible to data subject Social Security numbers Confidential Data NOT accessible to data subject *Birth records for births to unmarried parents Nonpublic Data Accessible to data subject Security info about MN VRV2000 Protected Nonpublic data NOT accessible to data subject Data on agencies involved in an open investigation Public Data Release to anyone Death records Names/locations of local registrar offices About entities or things Data Classifications

Public data  Minnesota death records  Names, locations of local registrar offices  Birth records of babies born to married parents Public data is accessible to anyone

PUBLIC data is public, but…  We may not have it the way you like it  If we don’t keep it now, we don’t have to start  Free to look, but…  We can charge for copies  You have the right to know why you can’t get something  You can’t necessarily buy a certificate

Not Public data Accessible to data subjects Private Data (people)  Health information on birth records  Social Security numbers Nonpublic Data (entities/things)  Specific security information about MN VRV2000

Not Public data NOT Accessible to data subjects Confidential Data (people)  Original birth records after an adoption Protected Nonpublic Data (entities/things)  Data on agencies that are part of an investigation

However… Tangible interest supersedes Not accessible

Are you the data subject?  We will give you notice when we collect data (Tennessen warning)  We are limited on what we can do with data  We can’t charge you a fee to look at your data, but we can charge for copies  You have the right to challenge the accuracy or completeness

Your job as a local registrar  Safeguard the privacy rights of data subjects  Facilitate access to data that should be disclosed

When in doubt… Ask your supervisor!  Good data practices judgment comes from experience and experience comes from bad data practices judgment  Learn from the data practices mistakes of others; you can’t live long enough to make them all yourself!

Passwords protect yourself – protect your password  Use a combination of alpha numeric and symbolic – minimum 8 characters  Don’t use 12345, abcdef, a word or a name  Make it easy to remember, yet hard to crack Oh Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?  DON’T PUT IT ON A POST-IT NOTE ON YOUR COMPUTER Luck is the main reason many people don’t get hacked. Luck, however, cannot be counted on.

Sanctions Consequences in not complying with the data practices act  Subject to discipline  Civil penalties

Just remember  When in doubt, don’t guess.  Ask your supervisor

To learn more… Visit the Local Registrars website ocalreg/index.html Or contact MDA Information Policy Analysis Division