Every public or private person or entity shall accept the designated address as the true address of the program participant. Presentation of the Safe at Home card creates a rebuttable presumption that the individual listed on the card is a program participant. A program participant is not required to respond to any question a public or private person puts to the program participant about the details or circumstances of the person's inclusion in the program. The public or private person or entity may contact the secretary of state for information on the program.
The program participant, and not the secretary of state, is responsible for requesting the use of the designated address by any public or private person or entity as the address of the program participant.
The secretary of state is the agent for receipt of all mail sent by public and private persons and entities to the program participants at the designated address.
All mail specifically addressed to the program participant at the designated address must be forwarded at least every second business day to the participant at the participant's mailing address. Envelopes containing the mail being forwarded must be marked "Return Service Requested." The secretary of state is not required to forward mail if the mail is not specifically addressed to a program participant.
The secretary of state may hold a participant's mail for up to three days upon request of the program participant. The secretary of state may hold a participant's mail for up to a total of three weeks if the participant has sent a signed, written mail hold request to the secretary of state that includes a telephone number at which the participant can be reached. Upon receipt of a written request, the secretary of state must compare the signature of the program participant or applicant on the request with the signature on the original application or on any other document on file with the secretary of state and conclude that the signatures are the same. The mail hold is effective the date the secretary of state receives the request, unless the participant has indicated an alternate effective future date.
The secretary of state shall be available at all times to fulfill the requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 5B.07, subdivision 2, in exigent circumstances.
Minn. R. agency 133, ch. 8290, pt. 8290.0400
Statutory Authority: MS s 5B.08