Request By:
[NO REQUESTBY IN ORIGINAL]
Opinion
Opinion By: Albert B. Chandler III, Attorney General; Amye L. Bensenhaver, Assistant Attorney General
Open Records Decision
This is an appeal from the Transportation Cabinet's denial of Henderson Gleaner staff writer Frank Boyett's September 10, 1997, request to "download onto a portable hard drive the entire statewide database of driver licenses. " On November 17, 1997, Ed Roberts, Commissioner of the Cabinet's Department of Administrative Services and custodian of records, denied Mr. Boyett's request. Commissioner Roberts relied on KRS 61.878(1)(a) and Zink v. Commonwealth, Ky.App., 902 S.W.2d 825 (1994) to support the Cabinet's denial. This appeal followed.
In response to the Attorney General's December 2, 1997, notification of receipt of open records appeal, the Transportation Cabinet supplemented its denial in a letter dated December 8, 1997, from Assistant General Counsel J. Todd Shipp. Although he reaffirmed the Cabinet's position that the requested database is exempt pursuant to KRS 61.878(1)(a) and the reasoning set forth in Zink , above, Mr. Shipp explained that the Cabinet is absolutely prohibited from disclosing personal information contained in state motor vehicle records by operation of the Drivers' Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2721, a federal law which took effect on September 13, 1997. Although Mr. Shipp did not cite the applicable exception to the Open Records Act by which the federal confidentiality provision is incorporated into the Act, namely KRS 61.878(1)(k), and the Cabinet's denial was therefore procedurally deficient, we find that the Drivers' Privacy Protection Act bars release of the information Mr. Boyett requested, and affirm the Cabinet's denial of his request.
The Drivers' Privacy Protection Act "prohibits the release and use of certain personal information from state motor vehicle records." 18 U.S.C. § 2721 et seq. 'Personal information" is defined as "information that identifies an individual, including an individual's photograph, social security number, driver identification number, name, address (but not the 5-digit zip code), telephone number, and medical or disability information, but does not include information on vehicular accidents, driving violations, and driver's status." 18 U.S.C. § 2725(3). 18 U.S.C. § 2721(a) states:
Except as provided in subsection (b), a state department of motor vehicles, and any officer, employee, or contractor, thereof, shall not knowingly disclose or otherwise make available to any person or entity personal information about any individual obtained by the department in connection with a motor vehicle record.
Subsection (b) establishes 14 categories of permissible use for personal information. State departments of motor vehicles, and officers, employees, or contractors thereof must disclose personal information to entities, both governmental and nongovernmental, "in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft ...," and may disclose the same information for the fourteen enumerated uses set forth in the statute.
Although the Drivers' Privacy Protection Act gives access to motor vehicle information to government agencies, insurance companies, car manufacturers, and other specifically identified groups, it does not give access to the news media. State department of motor vehicles which do not comply with the Act are subject to civil penalties of up to $ 5000 a day for each day of noncompliance. Clearly, the Transportation Cabinet risks the imposition of substantial penalties if it knowingly discloses its database to Mr. Boyett or any other representative of the news media.
The Drivers' Privacy Protection Act is incorporated into Kentucky's Open Records Law by KRS 61.878(1)(k), which requires state agencies to withhold "all public records or information the disclosure of which is prohibited by federal laws or regulation." Because these provisions, operating in tandem, bar disclosure of the statewide database of drivers' licenses, we do not address the propriety of the Transportation Cabinet's invocation of KRS 61.878(1)(a). We believe that the federal act controls.
Nor do we consider Mr. Boyett's argument that the Cabinet has waived its right to deny access to the database by releasing it to him in June of 1997, as evidenced in 97-ORD-92. The latter open records decision was issued before the federal act took effect, and therefore can be distinguished on the basis of a significant change in the law. For these reasons, we conclude that the Transportation Cabinet's denial of Mr. Boyett's request was entirely consistent with the Open Records Act.
A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceeding.
# 1171
Distributed to:
Frank BoyettStaff Writer the Gleaner Box 4, 455 Klutey Park PlazaHenderson KY 42420
Commissioner Ed RobertsDepartment of Administrative ServicesTransportation CabinetState Office BuildingFrankfort KY 40622
J. Todd ShippAssistant General CounselOffice of General Counsel501 High StreetFrankfort KY 40622
1997
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 195
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 194
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 193
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 190
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 191
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 371
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 76
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 189
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 188
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 187
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 186
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 183
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 77
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 185
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 182
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 184
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 75
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 179
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 180
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 181
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 178
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 177
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 175
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 176
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 173
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 174
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 74
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 370
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 172
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 170
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 73
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 169
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 168
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 167
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 165
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 166
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 150
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 317
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 316
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 314
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 312
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 313
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 311
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 309
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 310
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 308
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 307
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 306
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 305
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 302
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 303
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 301
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 300
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 299
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 297
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 298
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 368
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 369
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 71
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 72
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 296
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 69
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 294
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 367
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 295
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 70
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 366
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 292
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 68
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 291
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 290
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 288
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 289
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 67
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 287
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 66
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 286
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 365
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 65
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 285
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 283
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 281
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 282
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 280
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 279
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 59
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 362
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 63
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 361
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 360
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 60
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 62
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 359
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 64
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 364
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 61
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 358
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 58
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 357
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 57
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 278
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 149
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 277
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 276
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 275
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 272
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 273
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 271
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 356
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 355
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 43
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 42
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 270
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 354
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 269
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 44
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 268
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 267
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 266
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 265
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 45
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 263
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 160
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 163
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 164
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 161
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 159
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 162
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 158
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 41
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 157
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 29
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 156
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 341
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 340
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 352
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 30
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 351
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 31
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 338
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 32
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 339
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 337
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 336
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 335
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 33
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 334
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 34
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 35
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 333
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 78
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 28
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 350
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 27
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 26
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 332
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 331
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 330
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 349
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 24
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 25
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 23
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 348
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 328
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 327
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 325
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 326
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 153
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 21
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 22
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 346
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 347
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 152
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 324
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 323
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 322
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 321
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 345
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 20
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 17
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 344
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 319
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 318
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 148
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 18
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 147
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 145
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 146
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 144
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 139
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 142
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 143
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 138
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 140
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 19
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 343
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 137
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 136
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 135
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 134
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 133
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 132
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 131
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 16
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 15
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 386
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 129
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 377
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 128
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 126
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 125
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 127
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 14
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 13
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 124
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 123
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 122
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 120
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 119
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 376
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 12
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 385
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 151
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 116
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 375
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 115
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 11
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 118
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 384
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 117
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 114
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 207
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 206
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 383
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 10
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 9
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 372
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 381
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 374
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 8
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 382
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 373
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 204
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 363
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 380
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 7
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 199
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 203
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 200
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 5
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 201
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 353
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 202
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 6
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 379
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 198
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 197
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 196
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 293
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 171
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 192
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 315
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 1
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 304
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 378
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 2
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 342
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 284
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 274
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 155
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 3
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 264
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 329
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 141
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 320
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 121
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 205
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 130
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 4
1997 Ky. AG LEXIS 154