§ 27-29B-6 — Confidentiality

(a) Documents, materials, or other information, including the CGAD, in the possession or control of the department that are obtained by, created by, or disclosed to the commissioner or any other person under this chapter, are recognized by this state as being proprietary and to contain trade secrets. All of the documents, materials, or other information shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to any open records, freedom of information, sunshine, or other public record disclosure laws, shall not be subject to subpoena, and shall not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. However, the commissioner may use the documents, materials, or other information in the furtherance of any regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the official duties of the commissioner. The commissioner shall not otherwise make the documents, materials, or other information public without the prior written consent of the insurer. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require written consent of the insurer before the commissioner may share or receive confidential documents, materials, or other CGAD-related information pursuant to subsection (c) to assist in the performance of the duties of the commissioner.
(b) Neither the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other CGAD-related information, through examination or otherwise, while acting under the authority of the commissioner, or with whom the documents, materials, or other information are shared pursuant to this chapter, shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a).
(c) In order to assist in the performance of the regulatory duties of the commissioner, the commissioner may do all of the following:
(1) Upon request, share documents, materials, or other CGAD-related information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a), including proprietary and trade secret documents and materials, with other state, federal, and international financial regulatory agencies, including members of any supervisory college as defined in Section 27-29-6.1, with the NAIC, and with third party consultants pursuant to Section 27-29B-7, provided the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the CGAD-related documents, material, or other information and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality.
(2) Receive documents, materials, or other CGAD-related information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information, including proprietary and trade secret information or documents, from regulatory officials of other state, federal, and international financial regulatory agencies, including members of any supervisory college as defined in Section 27-29-6.1, and from the NAIC, and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any documents, materials, or information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the document, material, or information.
(d) The sharing of information and documents by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter shall not constitute a delegation of regulatory authority or rulemaking, and the commissioner shall be solely responsible for the administration, execution, and enforcement of this chapter.
(e) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, proprietary and trade secret materials, or other CGAD-related information shall occur as a result of disclosure of CGAD-related information or documents to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing authorized in this chapter.

Legislative History

(Act 2019-97, §1.)