Nebraska Statutes 38-1,106. Reports, complaints, and records not public records; limitations on use; prohibited disclosure; penalty; application material; how treated; confidentiality
(1) Reports under sections 38-1,129 to 38-1,136, complaints, and investigational records of the department shall not be public records, shall not be subject to subpoena or discovery, and shall be inadmissible in evidence in any legal proceeding of any kind or character except a contested case before the department. Such reports, complaints, or records shall be a public record if made part of the record of a contested case before the department. No person, including, but not limited to, department employees and members of a board, having access to such reports, complaints, or investigational records shall disclose such information in violation of this section, except that the department may exchange such information with law enforcement and other state licensing agencies as necessary and appropriate in the discharge of the department’s duties and only under circumstances to ensure against unauthorized access to such information. Violation of this subsection is a Class I misdemeanor.
Attorney's Note
Under the Nebraska Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Class I misdemeanor | up to 1 year | up to $1,000 |
Terms Used In Nebraska Statutes 38-1,106
- Action: shall include any proceeding in any court of this state. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Attorney: shall mean attorney at law. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Credential: means a license, certificate, or registration. See Nebraska Statutes 38-113
- Department: means the Division of Public Health of the Department of Health and Human Services. See Nebraska Statutes 38-114
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Person: shall include bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, and associations. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- State: when applied to different states of the United States shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories organized by Congress. See Nebraska Statutes 49-801
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
(2) Investigational records, reports, and files pertaining to an application for a credential shall not be a public record until action is taken to grant or deny the application and may be withheld from disclosure thereafter under section 84-712.05.
(3) The identity of any person making a report, providing information leading to the making of a report, or otherwise providing information to the department, a board, or the Attorney General included in such reports, complaints, or investigational records shall be confidential whether or not the record of the investigation becomes a public record.