ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Mark Dayton has signed a bill making private companies’ contracts on government projects public under Minnesota’s open records law.
Dayton signed the “Timberjay bill” Wednesday. The legislation stemmed from Ely-based Timberjay Newspapers’ legal fight to see the contract between Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls and its subcontractor for an $80 million school project in northern Minnesota.
The bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously. The Star Tribune (https://strib.mn/SgoOnC ) reports the law requires all government contracts include notice that the Minnesota Data Practices Act applies to private businesses.
The bill excludes health plan companies, managed care organizations and county-based purchasing plans until June 30, 2015.
Dayton vetoed part of the bill that would fund a legislative auditor’s study on how secure state systems are at securing and transmitting data, including citizens’ personal information.
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Information from: Star Tribune, https://www.startribune.com
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