Please email any data requests for information to information.sbi@state.mn.us
The Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13) presumes that all government data are public unless a state or federal law says the data are not public. Government data means all data collected, created, received, maintained, or disseminated by the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI), regardless of whether the data is in electronic or physical form.
The Government Data Practices Act provides that the SBI must provide access to all public government data. Members of the public may inspect public data free of charge, at a reasonable time and place designated by the SBI. Inspection does not include copying or electronic transmittal of data. Members of the public may request physical or electronic copies of public data, which may incur charges as outlined below.
To inspect public data or request copies of public data that the SBI keeps, members of the public must make a written request to the SBI. Using the Data Request Form is encouraged but not required. Written requests must be submitted via email or mail.
Email Address for Submitting Requests: information.sbi@state.mn.us
Mailing Address for Submitting Requests: 60 Empire Drive, Suite 100, St. Paul, MN 55103.
Each data request should:
- State that the request is being made for public data under the Government Data Practices Act (Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 13).
- State whether the requestor would like to inspect the data, obtain physical or electronic copies of the data, or both.
- The requestors should provide a clear description of the data they would like to inspect or have copied.
The requestor is not required to identify themselves or explain the reason for their data request. The requestor may, however, be required to provide information necessary for the SBI to fulfill the request (for example: an email address for electronic transmittal). If the SBI is unable to obtain information necessary to respond to a request, the SBI will not provide a response.
The Minnesota State Board of Investment may charge the requestor for copies of government data, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 13.03, subdivision 3(c).
The SBI does not charge for copies if the cost is less than $50.00.
If possible, the SBI will provide the requestor with an estimate of the total cost of supplying copies.
The SBI will provide the requestor with an invoice for the total charges for copying and supplying the data. Costs must be paid before the SBI will provide the data to the requestor.
For 100 or fewer paper copies – 25 cents per page
100 or fewer pages of black and white, letter or legal size paper copies cost 25¢ for a one-sided copy, or 50¢ for a two-sided copy.
Most other types of copies – actual cost
The charge for most other types of copies, when a charge is not set by statute or rule, is the actual cost of searching for and retrieving the data and making the copies or electronically sending the data.
In determining the actual cost of making copies, the SBI will include employee time required to retrieve and assemble the data, the cost of the materials necessary for copying the data (paper, CD, DVD, flash drive, etc.), and any costs for mailing or transmitting the data. If the SBI receives a request for copies of data that it cannot copy itself, such as photographs, the SBI will charge the requestor the actual cost for an outside vendor to make the copies.
Employee time to make copies is $30.00 per hour.
If the SBI determines that it is necessary for a higher-paid employee to search for and retrieve the data, the SBI will calculate search and retrieval charges at the higher salary/wage.
The SBI does not charge for separating public data from private, confidential, nonpublic, or protected nonpublic data.
The SBI will review each request for data when received.
If the data is classified as nonpublic or otherwise not disclosable, the SBI will inform the requestor as soon as reasonably possible and identify the law containing the relevant classification.
If the data requested is public, the SBI will respond within a reasonable amount of time by doing one of the following:
For requests to inspect data, the SBI will contact the requestor to arrange a date, time, and place to inspect the data at the SBI’s office. Appointments made to inspect data are scheduled between the hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, based on staffing availability.
If a requestor wishes to receive copies of data, the requestor must notify the SBI how they wish to receive the data (i.e. by receiving the data in person, through mail, or electronic delivery). Electronic copies are made available for all data SBI maintains in an electronic format.
Response time may be impacted by the size and/or complexity of a request and volume of requests received.
The SBI will provide an invoice for all fees associated with fulfilling a request. The SBI requires confirmation of fees exceeding $100 and will send an estimate of such fees.
Following the SBI’s response, the requestor must make arrangements within 10 business days to inspect the data or pay for the copies or the SBI will consider the request closed.
The SBI will notify the requestor if the SBI does not have data responsive to the request.
The Government Data Practices Act does not require the SBI to create or collect new data in response to a data request, or to provide data in a specific form or arrangement if the SBI does not keep the data in that form or arrangement. For example, if the data requested is in paper form only, the SBI is not required to create electronic documents to respond to the request. If the SBI agrees to create data in response to a request, fulfilling the request may involve additional charges as outlined above.
The SBI is not required to respond to questions that are not data requests.