Subdivision 1. Request for information. (a) The public authority responsible for child support in this state or any other state, in order to locate a person or to obtain information necessary to establish paternity and child support or to modify or enforce child support or distribute collections, may request information reasonably necessary to the inquiry from the records of (1) state agencies or political subdivisions of this state, as defined in section 13.02, which shall, notwithstanding the provisions of section 268.19 or any other law to the contrary, provide the information necessary for this purpose; and (2) employers, utility companies, insurance companies, financial institutions, credit grantors, and labor associations doing business in this state. They shall provide a response upon written or electronic request within 30 days of service of the request made by the public authority. Information requested and used or transmitted by the commissioner according to the authority conferred by this section may be made available to other agencies, statewide systems, and political subdivisions of this state, and agencies of other states, interstate information networks, federal agencies, and other entities as required by federal regulation or law for the administration of the child support enforcement program.
(b) For purposes of this section, "state" includes the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.
Subd. 2. Access to information. (a) A request for information by the public authority responsible for child support of this state or any other state may be made to:
(1) employers when there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of the inquiry is or was an employee or independent contractor of the employer. Information to be released by employers of employees is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, employment status, wage or payment information, benefit information, and Social Security number. Information to be released by employers of independent contractors is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, contract status, payment information, benefit information, and Social Security number or identification number;
(2) utility companies when there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of the inquiry is or was a retail customer of the utility company. Customer information to be released by utility companies is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, source of income, employer and place of employment, and Social Security number;
(3) insurance companies when there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of the inquiry is or was receiving funds either in the form of a lump sum or periodic payments. Information to be released by insurance companies is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, employer, Social Security number, and amounts and type of payments made to the subject of the inquiry;
(4) labor organizations when there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of the inquiry is or was a member of the labor association. Information to be released by labor associations is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, Social Security number, and current and past employment information; and
(5) financial institutions when there is reasonable cause to believe that the subject of the inquiry has or has had accounts, stocks, loans, certificates of deposits, treasury bills, life insurance policies, or other forms of financial dealings with the institution. Information to be released by the financial institution is limited to place of residence or address, home telephone, work telephone, mobile telephone, email address, identifying information on the type of financial relationships, Social Security number, current value of financial relationships, and current indebtedness of the subject with the financial institution.
(b) For purposes of this section, utility companies include telephone companies, as defined in section 325F.675, subdivision 3, clause (3), radio common carriers, and telecommunications carriers as defined in section 237.01, and companies that provide electrical, telephone, natural gas, propane gas, oil, coal, or cable or satellite television services to retail customers, and Internet service providers. The term financial institution includes banks, savings and loans, credit unions, brokerage firms, mortgage companies, insurance companies, benefit associations, safe deposit companies, money market mutual funds, or similar entities authorized to do business in the state.
(c) For purposes of this section, the public authority may request or obtain information from any person or entity enumerated in this section, or from any third party who contracts with any such person or entity to obtain or retain information that may be requested by the public authority.
Subd. 3. Immunity. A person who releases information to the public authority as authorized under this section is immune from liability for release of the information.
1963 c 401 s 1; 1982 c 488 s 1; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1988 c 668 s 3; 1989 c 184 art 2 s 10; 1993 c 340 s 7; 1995 c 257 art 3 s 1; 1997 c 66 s 79; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 11,12; 1997 c 245 art 3 s 6; 1999 c 245 art 7 s 3; 2000 c 458 s 2; 2000 c 468 s 24; 2005 c 159 art 4 s 1; 2010 c 238 s 1
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 245 - 267 — Public Welfare And Related Activities
Section 256.01 — Commissioner Of Human Services; Powers, Duties.
Section 256.011 — Administration Of Federal Grants-in-aid.
Section 256.0112 — Grants And Purchase Of Service Contracts.
Section 256.012 — Minnesota Merit System.
Section 256.0121 — Southern Cities Community Health Clinic.
Section 256.014 — State And County Systems.
Section 256.015 — Public Assistance Lien On Recipient's Cause Of Action.
Section 256.016 — Plain Language In Written Materials.
Section 256.0161 — Forecast On Children's Health Care Services.
Section 256.017 — Compliance System.
Section 256.018 — County Public Assistance Incentive Fund.
Section 256.019 — Recovery Of Money; Apportionment.
Section 256.02 — Investigations; Examinations; Supervision.
Section 256.021 — Vulnerable Adult Maltreatment Review Panel.
Section 256.023 — One Hundred Percent County Assistance.
Section 256.027 — Use Of Vans Permitted.
Section 256.028 — Tax Rebates.
Section 256.0281 — Interagency Data Exchange.
Section 256.029 — Domestic Violence Informational Brochure.
Section 256.041 — Cultural And Ethnic Communities Leadership Council.
Section 256.042 — Opiate Epidemic Response Advisory Council.
Section 256.043 — Opiate Epidemic Response Fund.
Section 256.045 — Administrative And Judicial Review Of Human Services Matters.
Section 256.0451 — Hearing Procedures.
Section 256.046 — Administrative Fraud Disqualification Hearings.
Section 256.0471 — Overpayments Become Judgments By Operation Of Law.
Section 256.25 — Old Age Assistance To Be Allowed As Claim In District Court.
Section 256.263 — Land Acquired By State Under Old Age Assistance Liens.
Section 256.362 — Reports And Implementation.
Section 256.462 — Applicability Of Other Law; Recovery Of Assistance Furnished.
Section 256.476 — Consumer Support Program.
Section 256.477 — Self-advocacy Grants.
Section 256.4772 — Minnesota Inclusion Initiative Grant.
Section 256.4776 — Parent-to-parent Peer Support.
Section 256.478 — Transition To Community Initiative.
Section 256.479 — Customized Living Quality Improvement Grants.
Section 256.481 — Person With A Disability; Definition.
Section 256.482 — Council On Disability.
Section 256.4825 — Report Regarding Programs And Services For People With Disabilities.
Section 256.4835 — Minnesota Rare Disease Advisory Council.
Section 256.484 — Social Adjustment Services To Refugees.
Section 256.741 — Child Support And Maintenance.
Section 256.82 — Payments By State.
Section 256.87 — Contribution By Parents.
Section 256.8799 — Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Outreach Program.
Section 256.88 — Social Welfare Fund Established.
Section 256.89 — Fund Deposited In State Treasury.
Section 256.90 — Social Welfare Fund; Use; Disposition; Depositories.
Section 256.92 — Commissioner Of Human Services, Accounts.
Section 256.925 — Optional Voter Registration For Public Assistance Applicants And Recipients.
Section 256.93 — Commissioner Of Human Services, Possession Of Estates.
Section 256.935 — Funeral Expenses, Payment By County Agency.
Section 256.9365 — Purchase Of Health Care Coverage For People Living With Hiv.
Section 256.94 — Conferences Of Various Officials.
Section 256.95 — Expense Of Attendance At Conference.
Section 256.958 — Retired Dentist Program.
Section 256.959 — Dental Practice Donation Program.
Section 256.96 — Cooperation With Other Boards.
Section 256.962 — Minnesota Health Care Programs Outreach.
Section 256.963 — Primary Care Access Initiative.
Section 256.9655 — Payments To Medical Providers.
Section 256.9656 — Deposits Into The General Fund.
Section 256.9657 — Provider Surcharges.
Section 256.9685 — Establishment Of Inpatient Hospital Payment System.
Section 256.9686 — Definitions.
Section 256.969 — Payment Rates.
Section 256.9693 — Inpatient Treatment For Mental Illness.
Section 256.9695 — Appeals Of Rates; Prohibited Practices For Hospitals; Transition Rates.
Section 256.974 — Office Of Ombudsman For Long-term Care.
Section 256.9741 — Definitions.
Section 256.9742 — Duties And Powers Of The Office.
Section 256.9744 — Office Data.
Section 256.975 — Minnesota Board On Aging.
Section 256.9752 — Senior Nutrition Programs.
Section 256.9753 — Volunteer Programs For Retired Senior Citizens.
Section 256.9754 — Community Services Development Grants Program.
Section 256.9755 — Caregiver Support Programs.
Section 256.976 — Foster Grandparents Program.
Section 256.977 — Senior Companion Program.
Section 256.978 — Location Of Parents, Access To Records.
Section 256.979 — Child Support Incentives.
Section 256.98 — Wrongfully Obtaining Assistance; Theft.
Section 256.981 — Training Of Welfare Fraud Prosecutors.
Section 256.982 — Training Of Welfare Fraud Investigators.
Section 256.983 — Fraud Prevention Investigations.
Section 256.9831 — Benefits; Gambling Establishments.
Section 256.984 — Declaration And Penalty.
Section 256.986 — County Coordination Of Fraud Control Activities.
Section 256.9861 — Fraud Control; Program Integrity Reinvestment Project.
Section 256.9862 — Electronic Benefit Transaction Card Fee.
Section 256.9863 — Electronic Benefit Transaction Card; Receipt Of Benefits.
Section 256.9864 — Reports By Recipient.
Section 256.9865 — Recovery Of Overpayments And Atm Errors.
Section 256.9866 — Community Service As A County Obligation.
Section 256.987 — Electronic Benefit Transfer Card.
Section 256.9872 — Ebt Transaction Costs; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Section 256.99 — Reverse Mortgage Proceeds Disregarded.
Section 256.995 — School-linked Services For At-risk Children And Youth.
Section 256.997 — Child Support Obligor Community Service Work Experience Program.