Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING LIMITATIONS ON THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.

Summary of Assessment

            This bill revises public records law to allow a custodian to deny the right of inspection of electronically stored photographs, digitized images, fingerprints, or social security numbers filed with or prepared by the Department of Revenue. The bill repeals the department's authority to sell copies of photographs, electronically stored photographs, or digitized images for the purpose of preventing fraud.

            The bill also revises the "Uniform Motor Vehicle Law" to prohibit the department from selling, permitting the sale of, or otherwise releasing to anyone other than the person in interest any photograph, electronically stored photograph, digitized image, fingerprint, or social security number filed with or prepared by the department. The bill allows the department to release copies of individual photographs, electronically, stored photographs, or digitized images to a duly accredited representative of the news media. The bill will become effective upon signature of the Governor.

            Under current law, the Department of Revenue has sold driver's license photos and other images to contractors for use in fraud prevention programs. The amount of revenue to the Highway Users Tax Fund from those sales during FY 1997-98 was approximately $128,000. The department anticipates the amount of any follow-on sales during FY 1999-2000 and FY 2000-01 to be minimal. The department does not rely on this minimal revenue to support any existing programs. Additionally, the department currently provides copies of driver's license photos and images free of any charges to the media.

            This bill will not affect state or local government revenue or expenditures. Therefore, the bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

Departments Contacted

            Revenue