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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 - 5 of 5
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: Are the financial records of the general fund of the City of Lafayette Fire Department Relief Association public data under the Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13?
Category: Government Data
Keywords: Government Data, Fire relief associations - subject to Chapter 13
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen
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: Are itemizations of expense accounts public data pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 13.32, subdivision 2? Are the bylaws of the Minneapolis Fire Department Relief Association in conformity with Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13?
Category: Personnel data, Responsible authority
Keywords: Personnel data, Responsible authority, Fire relief associations - subject to Chapter 13, Remuneration, Duties, generally
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen
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: Is the City of Bloomington Fire Department a government entity subject to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13? If the answer to Issue 1 is affirmative, does the City have an obligation to recover records which were "mislaid" or destroyed, in order to provide public access to those records
Category: Records management/retention, Government Data
Keywords: Records management/retention, Government Data, Fire relief associations - subject to Chapter 13, Includes data not created by maintaining entity, Data destruction
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen
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: Under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13, may the City deny access to public data based on its claim that the data are involved in litigation between the requestors and an entity which is not part of the City? In accordance with the requirements of Chapter 13, may the City limit public access to data to times when both a city attorney and the fire department chief are available, only on certain days of the week, and only to one or two hours at a time? Is it reasonable for the City to deny access to public government data on the grounds that the data have been "mislaid" or destroyed?
Category: Responsible authority
Keywords: Responsible authority, Designee appointed by Responsible Authority, Fire relief associations - subject to Chapter 13, Includes data not created by maintaining entity
Commissioner: Elaine S. Hansen
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: Are data maintained by the Bloomington Fire Department Relief Association accessible by the public under the provisions of Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes?
Category: Response to data requests
Keywords: Response to data requests, Fire relief associations - subject to Chapter 13
Commissioner: Debra Rae Anderson
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