§41-13-7. Identifying information of state employees on records available for public inspection.

(a) As used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) EMPLOYEE. Any person who is regularly employed by the state and who is subject to the provisions of the state Merit System or any person who is regularly employed by a criminal justice agency or entity or by a law enforcement agency within the state or any honorably retired employee thereof, to include, but not be limited to, the following: A judge of any position, including a judge of a municipal court; a district attorney; a deputy district attorney; an assistant district attorney; an investigator employed by a district attorney; an attorney, investigator, or special agent of the Office of the Attorney General; a sheriff; a deputy sheriff; a jailor; or a law enforcement officer of a county, municipality, the state, or special district, provided the law enforcement officer is certified by the Alabama Peace Officers' Standards and Training Commission and is not pending decertification.

(2) IDENTIFYING INFORMATION. Any information, not including a person's name, which used either alone or in conjunction with other information specifically identifies a person or a person's property, and includes, but is not limited to, any of the following information related to a person:

a. Date of birth.

b. Social Security number.

c. Driver's license number.

d. Financial services account numbers, including checking and savings accounts.

e. Credit or debit card numbers.

f. Personal identification numbers (PIN).

g. Electronic identification codes.

h. Automated or electronic signatures.

i. Biometric data.

j. Fingerprints.

k. Passwords.

l. Parents' legal surname prior to marriage.

m. Name or names of any dependent child or children.

n. Home address or phone number.

o. Any other numbers or information that can be used to access a person's financial resources, obtain identification, act as identification, or obtain goods or services.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, a state department, licensing or regulatory board, agency, or commission is prohibited from placing or otherwise revealing the identifying information of an employee including, but not limited to, full- or part-time employees thereof, on any document that is available for public inspection including, but not limited to, state personnel evaluation forms and any other forms related thereto unless otherwise required by law, without the express consent of the person with the identifying information, or the consent of that person's parent, custodian, legal guardian, or legal representative. The foregoing prohibition shall not apply to a bona fide news organization or when a federal or state agency makes a request for or releases identifying information for a legitimate government purpose, or pursuant to a federal or state statute, regulation, or federally funded program or pursuant to an administrative or judicial subpoena or order. Nothing in this section is intended to create or establish a new cause of action for damages in any court. Nothing in this section shall be construed as a waiver of sovereign or qualified immunity. This section shall not be applicable to a document originating with any court or taxing authority, any document that when filed by law constitutes a consensual or nonconsensual lien or security lien or security interest, or any record of judgment, conviction, eviction, or bankruptcy. If express consent to reveal identifying information has not been obtained, a state department or agency shall redact, remove, cover, or otherwise excise the identifying information of any person from any document that is available for public inspection so that the remaining portion of the document may be revealed.

(Act 2009-759, p. 2293, §1; Act 2013-172, p. 320, §1.)