Advisory Opinions Library
Search and research 1,071 opinions published by the Minnesota Department of Administration (1993–present). New to the legal archive? Try Exploring by topic.
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Advisory Opinion 15-007 15-007a county asked whether it could classify certain appraisal data as confidential or protected nonpublic under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.39. A county prepared a second appraisal for a condemnation/eminent domain acti…
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Advisory Opinion 15-006 15-006a city asked about the classification of data in a draft investigation report about a former city public official. The Commissioner opined that all data related to the complaint or charge in the report are public becaus…
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Advisory Opinion 15-005 15-005a school district asked whether Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.41, subd. 6(c), requires sharing certain private personnel data with another district. That subdivision states that under certain circumstances, a school …
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Advisory Opinion 15-004 15-004The Minnesota Film and TV Board asked whether it was subject to Minnesota's Open Meeting Law. The Commissioner opined that the Board is not subject to the law because it is not a State board, pursuant to Minnesota Statu…
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Advisory Opinion 15-003 15-003A member of the public asked about a government contractor’s obligation to respond to a request for data the contractor maintained in connection with its work for a City. The contractor did not respond to the request. T…
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Advisory Opinion 15-002 15-002A member of the public asked if a City Council had complied with the Open Meeting Law (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D) when closing two meetings to evaluate the performance of an individual subject to its authority (un…
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Advisory Opinion 15-001 15-001A state agency asked the Commissioner about the classification of data in an application submitted by a non-registered medical cannabis manufacturer applicant that are not otherwise specifically classified as not public…
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Advisory Opinion 14-020 14-020A school district asked about the classification of certain complaint data it maintained about a former principal. The principal resigned following an investigation which did not result in discipline. He also signed a R…
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Advisory Opinion 14-019 14-019A state agency asked about its classification of data determination related to an internal audit of one of its grantees, including supporting documentation and other documents collected as part of the audit. The grantee…
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Advisory Opinion 14-018 14-018A requester asked for access to copies of contracts and non-disclosure agreements for cell phone exploitation equipment. The entity said it could not redact the documents because they contained inextricably intertwined …
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Advisory Opinion 14-017 14-017A requester asked whether a public body properly closed two meetings on the basis of attorney-client privilege pursuant to section 13D.05, subdivision 2(b). In applying the balancing test required by the Minnesota Supre…
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Advisory Opinion 14-016 14-016An entity asked whether it could release private data about a decedent to the decedent’s sister, who was not the personal representative within the meaning of section 13.10, subdivision 1(c). However, she is a trustee f…
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Advisory Opinion 14-015 14-015A member of the public asked whether a city council’s conduct under the OML was proper on eight different occasions. The council’s “work sessions” were special, not regular meetings, but the Commissioner could not deter…
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Advisory Opinion 14-014 14-014A member of the public asked whether a public body properly closed two meetings to discuss the purchase of property, pursuant to section 13D.05, subdivision 3(c)(3). At the meetings, both the Mayor and the City Attorney…
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Advisory Opinion 14-013 14-013A requester asked for service and response or incident law enforcement data made public pursuant to section 13.82, subdivisions 3 and 6. The entity cited section 13.82, subdivisions 7 (active investigative data) and 13 …
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Advisory Opinion 14-012 14-012A requester asked for the “raw data file” that contained de-identified employee responses to a survey. The request was denied based on section 13.43, subdivision 7(a), which classifies the data as private personnel data…
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Advisory Opinion 14-011 14-011A requester asked for all data submitted in response to RFPs for third party auditors to conduct, or help conduct certain audits, and all resulting contracts. The request was denied based on the entity’s conclusion that…
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Advisory Opinion 14-010 14-010A member of the public asked about the copy of printed materials at a township meeting. Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.01, subd. 6, requires public bodies to make at least one copy of any printed materials distributed …
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Advisory Opinion 14-009 14-009An educational entity asked whether it could designate limited directory information as described in the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act’s (FERPA) regulations consistent with Chapter 13. Educational en…
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Advisory Opinion 14-008 14-008A School District planned to fill an open seat on its school board by appointment. The media asked for public data about the applicants under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.601. The District first responded that the dat…
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Advisory Opinion 14-007 14-007A member of the public asked whether a City had complied with Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.05, subd. 3(a), regarding a summary of the conclusions of an employee’s performance evaluation at the next open meeting. The …
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Advisory Opinion 14-006 14-006Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, did Independent School District 625, St. Paul, respond appropriately to a March 15, 2014, request for data? Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, did Independent School …
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Advisory Opinion 14-005 14-005Did the Houston County Board of Commissioners comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, at its April 8, 2014, meeting?
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Advisory Opinion 14-004 14-004Did the Cold Spring City Council comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, at the February 11, 2014, closed meeting? Did the Cold Spring City Council comply with Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13D, when it closed the Fe…
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Advisory Opinion 14-003 14-003Pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13, did the University of Minnesota respond appropriately to a request for data related to Institutional Review Boards, specifically: studies, reports, meeting minutes and corresp…