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House Research Department Updated: July 2010 <br />Minnesota Government Data Practices Act: An Overview Page 8 <br /> <br /> <br />Responsible Authority Duties <br />Besides the statewide responsibilities imposed on the Commissioner of Administration, the act <br />requires each covered government entity to designate an individual to perform various duties <br />regarding the agency’s records. This individual is the “responsible authority” for the <br />government entity. <br />Responsible <br />Authority <br />The responsible authority is the individual in a state agency or <br />statewide system who is made responsible for the entity’s data by law <br />or by the Commissioner of Administration. In a political subdivision, <br />the responsible authority is the individual designated to be responsible <br />for data by the local governing body. (Minn. Stat. § 13.02, subd. 16) <br />Data Description; <br />Procedures <br />Each responsible authority must prepare (1) a public document that <br />describes every kind of private or confidential data the agency has, and <br />(2) a document on the rights of data subjects and the procedures for <br />data access by the subject of the data. The authority must develop <br />procedures to assure that data on individuals are accurate, complete, <br />current, and secure. (Minn. Stat. § 13.05, subds. 1, 5, and 8) <br />Permitted Data Data on individuals must be collected and stored only as needed to <br />administer programs authorized by law. (Minn. Stat. § 13.05, subd. 3) <br />Permitted Data <br />Purposes <br />Data on an individual must be used only for the purpose stated to the <br />individual when the data was collected, unless: <br />• a law enacted or a rule issued after collection of the data authorizes <br />a different use; <br />• the commissioner specifically approves a different use necessary to <br />carry out a function provided by law; or <br />• the data subject gives informed consent as determined by the <br />commissioner’s rules. (Minn. Stat. § 13.05, subd. 4) <br />Data Practices Compliance Official <br />Duties Each government entity must appoint a data practices compliance <br />official. The responsible authority may fill this role. The public may <br />direct to this individual questions and concerns about data access or <br />other data problems. (Minn. Stat. § 13.05, subd. 13)