§ 40-5.2-26 - Records as to assistance.
SECTION 40-5.2-26
§ 40-5.2-26 Records as to assistance.– (a) All records pertaining to the administration of public assistance pursuantto this chapter and chapter 8 of this title are hereby declared to constitute aconfidential matter.
(b) In furtherance thereof:
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to make use of, orcause to be used, any information contained in records for purposes notdirectly connected with administration thereof, except with the consent of theindividual concerned.
(2) The director of the department shall have the power toestablish rules and regulations governing the custody, use, and preservation ofthe records, papers, files and communications dealing with the administrationof public assistance. The rules and regulations shall have the same force andeffect as law.
(3) The records shall be produced in response to subpoenaduces tecum properly issued by any federal or state court; provided, however,that the purpose for which the subpoena is sought is directly connected withthe administration of public assistance. No subpoena shall be issued by a courtasking either for the records, or for persons having custody or access to therecords, unless the litigation involved in such matters is directly connectedwith the administration of public assistance.
(4) Any person who by law is entitled to a list ofindividuals receiving any of the assistance as provided in this chapter shallnot publish or cause to be published the list except by the express consent ofthe director of the department, or to make use of thereof for purposes notdirectly connected with the administration thereof.
(5) Any person violating any of the provisions of thissection, or the lawful rules and regulations made hereunder, shall be guilty ofa misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars ($200), orshall be imprisoned for not more than six (6) months, or both.
(6) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit thedirector of the department or his or her agents duly authorized for thatpurpose, from issuing any statistical material data, or publishing or causingthe data to be published whenever he or she shall deem it to be in the publicinterest.
(7) The director of the department may inquire into therecords of any state department or agency in the course of his or heradministration of public assistance.