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58 Section IV: Duties Relating to Right of Subjects • Challenging the Accuracy and/or Completeness of Data That Government Entities Keep About You The Minnesota Government Data Practices Act gives you the right to challenge the accuracy and/or completeness of public and private data being maintained about you by any government entity in Minnesota. There are two steps in this process. The first step is to make a data challenge to the government entity that maintains the data. If the entity agrees that the data are inaccurate or incomplete, the entity must change the data so they are accurate and/or complete. If the entity does not agree with the data challenge, you have the right to take the second step and appeal the entity's determination to the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Administration. It is important to follow the steps carefully and to do all of the things described below. Step One: Making a Data Challenge • First, identify the government entity's responsible authority. This person, or a designee, must make sure that the entity complies with state data practices laws. The responsible authority for astate-level entity (such as a state agency, board or commission) is the commissioner or chief executive officer for that entity. The responsible authority for a county social services entity is the director of that entity. For cities, school districts, and other county offices, the responsible authority is appointed by the governing board. Each elected official (such as a sheriff, a county auditor or the governor) is the responsible authority for his or her office. Next, write to the responsible authority and ask to look at all public and private data the entity maintains about you. In order to protect your rights, it is very important that you make your data request to the responsible authority. You may wish to make an appointment to inspect the data, which you may do free of charge. You also may ask for copies of the data. If you do, the government entity does have the right to charge you reasonable copying costs. Review or inspect the data very carefully and make a note about any information that you believe • is inaccurate or incomplete. Inaccurate means that the data are not correct or that there are errors in the data. For example, data might be inaccurate because a name is not spelled right, someone July, 2000 Model Policy: Access to Government Data & Rights of Subjects Data