Purpose

• Increase transparency for complaints filed with the Board of Architecture Engineering Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Geoscience and Interior Design by requiring certain disclosures when the executive director of the board initiates or submits the complaint.

Main Provisions

• Adds a new subdivision (Subdivision 15) to Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 214.10, for the Board of Architecture Engineering Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Geoscience and Interior Design.
• If a complaint about the board’s professionals is initiated or submitted by the board’s executive director:
  • The fact that the complaint was initiated or submitted by the executive director is public data and must be affirmatively disclosed to both the board and the person who is the subject of the complaint.
  • Any documents provided to the board related to the complaint must also be provided to the person who is the subject of the complaint.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Changes the confidentiality status of complaints when the executive director is the initiator/submitter, making that information public data.
• Requires automatic disclosure of the initiator’s status to the subject of the complaint and requires sharing related documents with the subject.
• This provision is described as applicable “Notwithstanding section 13.41 or other applicable law,” meaning it overrides existing confidentiality rules for these cases and explicitly imposes these disclosure requirements.

Scope and Key Terms

• Applies specifically to the Board of Architecture Engineering Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Geoscience and Interior Design.
• Key terms: executive director, complaint, public data, subject of the complaint, documents related to the complaint, Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 214.10, subdivision 15, Notwithstanding, disclosures.

Potential Implications (plain-language view)

• In practical terms, if the executive director initiates a complaint, both the board and the person named in the complaint will know that the complaint was executive-director-initiated.
• The person who is the subject of the complaint will be entitled to see documents the board receives about the complaint.
• This increases transparency and could affect privacy considerations and how complaints are handled.

Relevant Terms - Board of Architecture Engineering Land Surveying Landscape Architecture Geoscience and Interior Design - executive director - complaint - public data - subject of the complaint - documents related to the complaint - Minnesota Statutes 2024 section 214.10 - subdivision 15 - Notwithstanding - 13.41 - disclosure