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9 Section II: MGDPA Summary • SECTION II THE MGDPA: A SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS What is the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act? The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA), which is Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statutes, is a state law that controls how government data are collected, created, stored (maintained), used and released (disseminated). See A BRIEF OVERVIEW of TxE MINNESOTA GOVERNMENT DATA PRACTICES ACT at the end of this section. What are government data? Government data are all data kept in any recorded form by government entities in the executive branch of government in Minnesota. As long as data are recorded in some way by a government entity, they are government data, no matter what physical form they are in, or how they are stored or used. Government data may be stored on paper forms/records/files, in electronic form, on audio or video tape, on charts, maps, etc. Government data do not include mental impressions. It is important to remember that government data are regulated at the level of individual items or elements of data, so that any given document, record or file contains many data elements. Who must comply with the MGDPA? • The law applies to state agencies in Minnesota. State-level entities include the University of Minnesota and state-level offices, departments, commissions, officers, bureaus, divisions, boards, authorities, districts and agencies. The MGDPA applies to political subdivisions, including counties, cities, school districts, special districts, boards, commissions, districts and authorities created by law, local ordinance or charter provision. Although townships are political subdivisions, the MGDPA does not apply to townships. Statewide systems are subject to the MGDPA. A statewide system is a record keeping or data administering system that is established by federal law, state statute, administrative decision or agreement, or joint powers agreement, and that is common to any combination of state agencies and/or political subdivisions. Community action agencies organized pursuant to the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 also are subject to the MGDPA. Persons or entities licensed or funded by, or under contract to, a government entity are subject to the MGDPA to the extent specified in the licensing, contract or funding agreement. Specifically: July, 2000 Model Policy: Access to Government Data & Rights of Subjects Data