Current through the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 431:3G-106 - Confidentiality(a) Documents, materials, or other information including the corporate governance annual disclosure, in the possession or control of the insurance division that are obtained by, created by, or disclosed to the commissioner or any other person under this article, and that contain information originating in a corporate governance annual disclosure under this article, are recognized by this State as being proprietary and to contain trade secrets. All such documents, materials, or other information shall be confidential by law and privileged, shall not be subject to disclosure pursuant to chapter 92F, 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 commissioner's official duties. 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 information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure pursuant to subsection (c) to assist in the performance of the commissioner's regular duties.(b) Neither the commissioner nor any person who received documents, materials, or other information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure through examination or otherwise, while acting under the authority of the commissioner, or with whom such documents, materials, or other information are shared pursuant to this article shall be permitted or required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (a).(c) To assist in the performance of the commissioner's regulatory duties, the commissioner may: (1) Upon request, share documents, materials, or other information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure, 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 described in section 431:11-107.5, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and third-party consultants pursuant to section 431:3G-107; provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, material, or other information and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality; and(2) Receive documents, materials, or other information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure, 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 described in section 431:11-107.5, and from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 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 article 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 article.(e) No waiver of any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, proprietary and trade-secret materials, or other information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure shall occur as a result of disclosure of any information related to the corporate governance annual disclosure or documents to the commissioner under this section or as a result of sharing as authorized in this article.Added by L 2019, c 71,§ 1, eff. 1/1/2020.