The Commission has adopted several data practices policies to comply with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and provide guidance to the public on how to request data.
How to Request Public Data
This policy provides instructions on how to request government data from the Commission. You can request data by filling out the Data Request Form – Public and sending it to Legal.Request.PUC@state.mn.us
How to Request Data About You
There are different rules for requesting data that is specifically about you. This policy provides instructions on how to request that data. You can request data specifically about you by filling out the Data Request Form – Data Subjects and sending it to Legal.Request.PUC@state.mn.us
Not Public Data in Commission Proceedings
Commission proceedings occasionally involve data that is classified as not public. The Not Public Data in Commission Proceedings policy linked below provides guidance about how data filers must comply with Minnesota Rule 7829.0500 when filing not public data, how the public can request access to not public data, and how the Commission will handle not public data during its public meetings.
“Not public data” means data classified by law as confidential, private, nonpublic, or protected nonpublic, consistent with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), Minnesota Statutes chapter 13.
The most common type of not public data in Commission proceedings is “trade secret information” as defined in Minnesota Statutes section 13.37. To claim trade secret protection, the filing party must show (1) that the data gets independent economic value from not being generally known or ascertainable to others and (2) that reasonable efforts have been made to maintain the data’s secrecy.
Parties filing data they believe should not be public must include a statement identifying which MGDPA provision makes the data not public and justifying why the data meets the applicable definition or criteria for protection.
The filer also must clearly label the not public document as “not public,” mark where each piece of not public information begins and ends within the document, and file a public version of the document with the not public portions redacted, as detailed in Minnesota Rule 7829.0500 and the Not Public Data in Commission Proceedings policy.
Any person may challenge the designation of data as not public by (1) submitting a written challenge to the data filer and the Commission’s MGDPA Responsible Authority (the General Counsel), or (2) eFiling a challenge into the docket where the data is filed. The Commission’s Responsible Authority determines whether the data is properly classified. If the Responsible Authority finds the data is improperly classified, the data will be re-classified in the eFiling system.
Inventory of Private and Confidential Data on Individuals
The Commission maintains certain types of private or confidential data on individuals. This Inventory explains what types of data the Commission maintains and how it is protected.
