Search Opinions
Browse Opinions by Date
Request an Opinion
Our Role
Help with searching
For a Topic Search use terms suggested on our Topics page. Please note that clicking the "Browse Topics" link on the Search Opinions tab will take you away from the search page to a different page, which will lose any existing search results or data that has been entered into search boxes. If you plan to search by topic, we recommend selecting your topic first, and complete any additional fields in the search form after that.
For a simple search, type a few words or a phrase in the Full Text search box, then hit Enter or click the Search button. Your search query can be a single word, multiple words separated by spaces, or it can use more advanced syntax described in the FAQ below. Try to use words that are likely to be unique to the content you're looking for.
Note: For best results when searching for a particular citation, spell out the section and subdivision. For example, “13.43, subdivision 4.”
About Search Results
The advisory opinion library currently includes:
- Data practices advisory opinions issued by the Commissioner of Administration from 1993 to the present.
- Open Meeting Law advisory opinions issued by the Commissioner of Administration from 2003 to the present.
The Commissioner's authority is found in Minnesota Statutes, section 13.072. Opinions are nonbinding, but a court may give them deference in a court action. Parties to a court action that act in conformity with an advisory opinion are not liable for certain damages or attorneys fees.
A written, numbered, and published opinion issued by the attorney general shall take precedence over an advisory opinion issued by the Commissioner of Administration.
Results 1 - 10 of 85
Advisory Opinion 19-013
November 27, 2019; Rice County
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.072 (2018). It is based on the facts and information ...
Description: a data requester asked if a County had responded appropriately to two requests she made for public data. The Commissioner opined that the County responded appropriately to a request for public comments when it emailed the requester a link to the comments, which the requester had previously said would be acceptable. The County did not respond appropriately to a draft spreadsheet when it did not respond to the request promptly and appropriately, did not provide the data in the format in which it was maintained, and failed to assess a reasonable, actual copy cost; the county quoted five different costs and used two different pay scales to calculate costs.
Category: Response to data requests, Requests for data, Copy costs
Keywords: Response to data requests, Requests for data, Copy costs, Copy costs, Timeliness of response to public - prompt, reasonable time (13.03, subd. 2), (1205.0300), To responsible authority or designated person, required, Actual cost - public, Costs, Data access policy, Data does not exist, Data do not exist, Data request policy, Data requests, Designee, Government data
Commissioner: Alice Roberts-Davis
Advisory Opinion 11-005
May 26, 2011; Johnson Controls, Inc. (ISD 2142-St. Louis County)
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, when it charged $3,900 for copies of government data related to a contract JCI has entered into with Independent School District 2142, St. Louis County?
Did Johnson Controls, Inc. (JCI) comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in its response to a request for access to government data related to a contract JCI has entered into with Independent School District 2142, St. Louis County?
Category: Contracts/privatization, Contracts/privatization
Keywords: Contracts/privatization, Contracts/privatization, Contracts, Copy costs
Commissioner: Spencer Cronk
Advisory Opinion 10-024
November 16, 2010; City of Wayzata
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the City of Wayzata comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, when it charged $265 to copy approximately 61 pages from the approximately 473 pages that the requestor inspected?
Category: Contracts/privatization, Copy costs
Keywords: Contracts/privatization, Copy costs, Copy costs, Electronically maintained data (See also: Electronic data), Copy inspection hybrid, Copy costs
Commissioner: Sheila M. Reger
Advisory Opinion 10-007
March 16, 2010; Ramsey County
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did Ramsey County comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in charging $600 for copies of government data?
Category: Copy costs
Keywords: Copy costs, Justification of costs, Copy inspection hybrid
Commissioner: Sheila M. Reger
Advisory Opinion 09-018
August 10, 2009; City of White Bear Lake
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the City of White Bear Lake comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, when it charged a person $26.69 for copying 100 pages of data when the person wanted only 25 pages of data?
Category: Copy costs, Inspection, Redaction
Keywords: Copy costs, Inspection, Redaction, 25 cents per page, Sales tax excluded, Copy inspection hybrid, Electronic data, email, Print to redact
Commissioner: Sheila M. Reger
Advisory Opinion 09-005
February 26, 2009; City of Duluth
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the City of Duluth comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in denying access to certain dog licensing data?
Is the City of Duluth’s charge of $210 for a copy of certain dog licensing data in compliance with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13?
Category: Response to data requests, Copy costs
Keywords: Response to data requests, Copy costs, Pet license data
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
Advisory Opinion 08-012
May 30, 2008; Carver County
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did Carver County comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in its response to a December 12, 2007, request for the cost justification for its plat map pricing?
Category: Commercial value, Copy costs
Keywords: Commercial value, Copy costs, Commercial value
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
Advisory Opinion 07-008
February 14, 2007; Middle Snake Tamarac Rivers Watershed District
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the Middle Snake Tamarac Rivers Watershed District comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in charging $124.85 for copies of government data?
Category: Copy costs
Keywords: Copy costs, 25 cents per page, Copy inspection hybrid
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
Advisory Opinion 07-002
January 12 2007; City of Silver Bay
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the City of Silver Bay comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, when it charged $86.91 to retrieve and copy 109 pages of government data?
Category: Copy costs
Keywords: Copy costs, 25 cents per page, Actual cost - public
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
Advisory Opinion 05-030
October 4, 2005; Red River Watershed Management Board
This is an opinion of the Commissioner of Administration issued pursuant to section 13.072 of Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13 - the Minnesota Government Data ...
Description: Did the Red River Watershed Management Board comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, in responding to a September 20, 2004, request to inspect the annual audits for the past five years?
Category: Copy costs, Existence of data, Response to data requests
Keywords: Copy costs, Existence of data, Response to data requests, Data does not exist
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
Refine your search
Filter By Keywords
- All Results
- Copy costs (85)
- Existence of data (25)
- Response to data requests (24)
- Commercial value (9)
- New data or different format not required (9)
- Requestor must be informed (9)
- Requests for data (9)
- Justification of costs (8)
- Actual cost - public (7)
- Educational data (7)
- Flat or standard fee (7)
- Copy inspection hybrid (6)
- Data subjects (6)
- Inspection (6)
- Special education/students with disabilities/IDEA (5)
- Data does not exist (4)
- Employee wage/labor cost (4)
- FERPA (Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act) (4)
- Law enforcement data (4)
- Minimum charge not allowed (4)
- No charge to search/retrieve/redact (4)
- Prepayment (4)
- Sales tax excluded (4)
- 25 cents per page (3)
- Contracts/privatization (3)
- Cost of creating new data (3)
- Legislative authority and intent (3)
- Limit on frequency of access to data (3)
- Operating expenses excluded (3)