FYi Newsletter - January 2022

FYi Newsletter – From the Data Practices Office at the Department of Administration


JANUARY 2022 

Upcoming Data Practices Trainings

DPO Presents: Minnesota State Archives Webinar

The Data Practices Office will be offering a free webinar with the Minnesota State Archives on Tuesday, January 18 at 2 p.m.

This session will feature the State Archives staff, who will provide an overview of official records and records management considerations for government entities. The webinar will provide valuable information for government employees with data practices responsibilities as well as entities' records managers.

More information about this free webinar is available on our website, and you can view recordings of past webinars on our YouTube Channel.

Open Meeting Law Remote Workshop on January 26

The Data Practices Office will be hosting an Open Meeting Law remote workshop on January 26 that focuses on the requirements public bodies must meet when conducting public business, including:

  • An overview of Minnesota's Open Meeting Law requirements;
  • Discussion of common Open Meeting Law questions and issues; and
  • Practical advice on implementing the law.

This workshop will be held remotely on WebEx, and it does not require in-person attendance. The cost to attend this workshop is $125.

More information about this workshop is available on our website.

Schedule of Upcoming Workshops

Can't make it to our January workshop? Don't worry!

We've posted a tentative schedule of all our upcoming workshops through April 2022 on the Data Practices Office website.


Advisory Opinion Updates

Government Data; Classification of Data

In Advisory Opinion 21-007, a city asked the Commissioner whether data in a recording made by an employee on a personal device and uploaded to the city's computer system was government data, subject to the Data Practices Act. If so, the city asked how such data were classified. In reviewing its own policies, the city determined that the storage of the data on government computer systems did not fall within the employee's limited ability to use city technology for personal reasons. As a result, the Commissioner agreed with the city's assessment that the data were government data. The Commissioner also opined that data in the recording in which an employee is an identifiable subject are personnel data classified by Minnesota Statutes, section 13.43, and any other data that are not on individuals are presumptively public unless classified by another law.

Educational Data; Directory Information

In Advisory Opinion 21-008, a parent asked the Commissioner whether a school district complied with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act and the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) when it disclosed the parent's student's directory information to a local newspaper. The Commissioner concluded that the District did not comply with the law because the parent had opted out of directory information disclosures.