2-6-109. Prohibition on distribution or sale of mailing lists -- exceptions -- penalty. (1) Except as provided in subsections (3) through (9), in order to protect the privacy of those who deal with state and local government:
     (a) an agency may not distribute or sell for use as a mailing list any list of persons without first securing the permission of those on the list; and
     (b) a list of persons prepared by the agency may not be used as a mailing list except by the agency or another agency without first securing the permission of those on the list.
     (2) As used in this section, "agency" means any board, bureau, commission, department, division, authority, or officer of the state or a local government.
     (3) This section does not prevent an individual from compiling a mailing list by examination of original documents or applications that are otherwise open to public inspection.
     (4) This section does not apply to the lists of registered electors and the new voter lists provided for in 13-2-115 or to lists of the names of employees governed by Title 39, chapter 31.
     (5) This section does not prevent an agency from providing a list to persons providing prelicensing or continuing educational courses subject to state law or subject to Title 33, chapter 17.
     (6) This section does not apply to the right of access by Montana law enforcement agencies.
     (7) This section does not apply to a corporate information list developed by the secretary of state containing the name, address, registered agent, officers, and directors of business, nonprofit, religious, professional, and close corporations authorized to do business in this state.
     (8) This section does not apply to the use by the public employees' retirement board of a mailing list of board-administered retirement system participants to send materials on behalf of a retiree organization formed for board-administered retirement system participants and with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, for a fee determined by rules of the board, provided that the mailing list is not released to the organization.
     (9) This section does not apply to a public school providing lists of graduating students to representatives of the armed forces of the United States or to the national guard for the purposes of recruitment.
     (10) A person violating the provisions of subsection (1)(b) is guilty of a misdemeanor.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 606, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 683, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 663, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 289, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 379, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 412, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 364, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 370, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 126, Ch. 305, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 319, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 363, L. 2001.