16-12-125. Hotline -- reporting -- referrals. (1) The department shall create and maintain a hotline to receive reports of suspected abuse of the provisions of this chapter.

(2) A person may submit a complaint to the department alleging a violation of this chapter and specifying the grounds for the complaint.

(3) The department may provide a copy of the complaint to the person or licensee that is the subject of the complaint.

(4) The department may:

(a) investigate reports of suspected abuse of the provisions of this chapter; or

(b) refer reports of suspected abuse to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction in the area where the suspected abuse is occurring.

(5) Complaints submitted to the department are confidential and not subject to public disclosure unless or until authorized by a district court on a written finding that the demands of individual privacy do not clearly exceed the merits of public disclosure or are confidential criminal justice information pursuant to Title 44, chapter 5.

(6) The department shall make available to the public complaints about violations of 16-12-117(3), including:

(a) information regarding the types of businesses or products being reported; and

(b) any disciplinary action taken against a person in violation of 16-12-117(3).

(7) The department reports made to the legislature pursuant to 16-12-110 must include the number of investigations and complaints the department referred to law enforcement and the complaints' disposition.