SB 25-038

Senate Bill 25-038, also known as the Wildlife Damage Protection of Personal Information, is a Colorado law that ensures personal information submitted by individuals claiming property damage due to wildlife remains confidential. This includes details from site assessments and nonlethal measures taken to prevent conflicts with wildlife. The bill allows for some exceptions, such as sharing anonymous data about claims or when an individual makes their own information public. It has been signed into law, meaning it is now active and protects the privacy of those who file damage claims with the Division of Parks and Wildlife.

Official Summary

Under Colorado law, a person may file a claim with the division of parks and wildlife (division) for compensation for damages to property caused by wildlife, and the division must review and investigate that claim. The act requires that the personal information of a person, information related to site assessments received by the division through the claim procedures, and personal information associated with proactive nonlethal measures is kept confidential and not disclosed pursuant to the "Colorado Open Records Act". The act excludes from this prohibition: Information about nonlethal predator-livestock conflict minimization measures that does not reveal the identity of the person or the person's business; Nonidentifying information of county-level data highlighting the number or dollar amount of claims made to the division, the number of claims that were settled and the monetary amounts of those settlements, the number of claims that are pending at the time of a request for disclosure, and the number of claims that were denied and the reasons for denial; and Personal information that becomes public by the actions of the subject of the personal information or the subject's agent. The act prohibits bringing or maintaining a private action challenging the division's determination that a person or the person's agent has taken actions or made statements that led to the person's personal information becoming publicly known. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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