51.5-69 - Information contained in register to be confidential; conditions under which information released; penalty.
§ 51.5-69. Information contained in register to be confidential; conditionsunder which information released; penalty.
Information contained on the register referred to in § 51.5-68 concerningindividuals shall be confidential for purposes other than those directlyconnected with the administration of programs under the Department'sjurisdiction or as required by other agencies of the Commonwealth.Information needed for research purposes may be made available to anorganization or individual engaged in research only for purposes directlyconnected with the administration of programs relating to the blind andvision impaired, including research for the development of new knowledge ortechniques that would be useful in the administration of the program, butonly if the organization or individual furnishes satisfactory assurance thatthe information will be used solely for the purpose for which it is provided;that it will not be released to persons not connected with the study underconsideration; and that the final product of the research will not reveal anyinformation that may serve to identify any person about whom information hasbeen obtained through the Department without written consent of such personand the Department. If any person willfully discloses information concerningindividuals except as provided herein he shall be guilty of a Class 1misdemeanor, and upon conviction, shall be punished accordingly.
(Code 1950, §§ 63-140, 63-140.15, 63-161, 63-165.1, 63-204, 63-220; 1962,c. 621; 1968, cc. 43, 578, §§ 63.1-71.1, 63.1-126; 1980, c. 4; 2002, c. 747.)