Minnesota Government Data Practices Act

These guidelines and procedures provide direction in complying with those portions of the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act (MGDPA) that relate to the public access to government data and to the rights of subjects of data.

The public access requirement are:

• The presumption that all government data are public unless classified as not public by state or federal statute;
  
• The right of any person to know what kinds of data are collected by the government entity and how that data is classified;
  
• The right of any person to inspect, at no charge, all public government data at reasonable times and places;
  
• The right of any person to have public data explained in an understandable way;
  
• The right of any person to get copies of public government data at reasonable or actual cost in most cases;
  
• The right of any person to an appropriate and reasonably prompt response from the government entity when exercising these rights; and
  
• The right of any person to be informed of the authority by which an entity may deny access to government data.

Please click here for the entire MN Government Data Practices Act Manual