§ 42-12-22 - Confidentiality of personal information – Authorized uses.
SECTION 42-12-22
§ 42-12-22 Confidentiality of personalinformation – Authorized uses. – (a) All personal information contained in the records of the department ofhuman services which is identifiable to an applicant for or recipient ofvocational rehabilitation services under this chapter is hereby declared toconstitute a confidential matter. Except as expressly provided herein, it shallbe unlawful for any person to make use of, or cause to be used, any of suchpersonal information contained in the records of the department of humanservices for purposes not directly connected with the administration of thevocational rehabilitation programs of the department of human services. Thedirector of the department of human services shall have the power to establishrules and regulations governing the custody, preservation, disclosure, orrelease of the records, papers, files and communications containing thatpersonal information.
(b) The department shall release or disclose the personalinformation described in subsection (a):
(1) Upon the written request of the applicant or recipient,or his or her authorized representative; or
(2) If required by federal law or regulations; or
(3) In response to law enforcement investigations and fraudor abuse investigations, except where release or disclosure is expresslyprohibited by federal or state law or regulations; or
(4) In response to judicial order.
Provided, however, that when the personal information hasbeen obtained by the department from another department, agency, organizationor individual, it shall be released by, or under the conditions established by,the other department, agency organization, or individual. Nothing in thissection shall be deemed to prohibit the director of the department of humanservices, or his or her agents duly authorized for that purpose, from issuingany statistical material or data, or publishing or causing the same to bepublished whenever he or she shall deem it to be in the public interest.