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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 - 6 of 6
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: In Advisory Opinion 08-022, the Commissioner of Administration opined that certain data supplied by private electric companies (the property addresses for properties that have gone without power for more than thirty days and the reason for the power shut off) are public. In light of a new law enacted during the 2008 Legislative Session, Minnesota Statutes, section 216B.0976, can the City still rely on 08-022?
Category: Statutory construction (Ch. 645)
Keywords: Statutory construction (Ch. 645), Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612)
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
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: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, what is the classification of the following data provided to the City of Saint Paul by private electric companies: property addresses for those properties that have gone without power for more than thirty days and the reason for the power shut off?
Category: Government Data
Keywords: Government Data, Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612)
Commissioner: Dana B. Badgerow
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: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.685, is it appropriate for the City of Thief River Falls to release electric utility customer data about the tenant of a rental property to the building's owner? Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.685, is the City of Thief River Falls required to obtain consent before releasing electric utility customer data to a government fuel assistance agency? Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.685, is it appropriate for the City to publicly release addresses of new electric utility customers from the City's Utilities Billing Office? The customers are not identified as utility customers but the information originates from the Billing Office. Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, what is the classification of electric utility customer data when the customer is a city, county, state, or federal agency?
Category: Data subjects, Educational data, Tennessen warning
Keywords: Data subjects, Educational data, Tennessen warning, Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612), Necessary to administer a program authorized by law (13.05, subd. 3), Entities authorized to receive data
Commissioner: Brian J. Lamb
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: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, what is the classification of the following data that the City of New Prague maintains: the names and addresses of utility customers to whom the City provides electric, water, and sewer services?
Category: Legislative authority and intent, Government Data
Keywords: Legislative authority and intent, Government Data, Municipal utility customer data, Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612)
Commissioner: David F. Fisher
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: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, what is the classification of the following types of data relating to the City of Rochester's electric and water utility services: design, operation of, or methods of access to any equipment, building or other facility, hardware or software that is used in providing public utility services, data describing the design, maintenance, or operation of hydro electric and dam structure facilities; water towers; water well sites; electric generation facilities; electric substations and transmission lines, computer software and hardware that control electric generation, water flow, water pumping, and water services provided to residential, commercial and government customers
Category: Security information
Keywords: Security information, Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612), Entity reliance on opinion, Entity's discretion to withhold
Commissioner: David F. Fisher
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: Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, what is the classification of the following data maintained by the City of Two Harbors: data on customers of the City's electric, gas, water, sewer and storm water utilities?
Category: Government Data
Keywords: Government Data, Municipal utility customer data (13.685 / 13.612)
Commissioner: David F. Fisher
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