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2023 Op. La. Att'y Gen. 1 (2023)

handle is hein.sag/sagla2023 and id is 1 raw text is: State of Louisiana
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CIVIL DIVISION
P.O. BOX 94005
BATON ROUGE
70804-9005
Jeff Landry
Attorney General                       January 3, 2023
OPINION 22-0117
47-1 FIRE MARSHALL, State
90-C PUBLIC RECORDS
La. R.S. 40:1563(A)
Honorable Michael Echols                  La. R.S. 40:1646(A)
La. R.S. 40:1664.1, et seq.
State Representative, District 14         La. R.S.44:1, et. seq.
8B23 Highway 165 N., Ste. 1               The Louisiana Public Records Act does not require the Louisiana
Monroe, Louisiana 71203                   State Fire Marshal to disclose the client data of a state-licensed,
independent contractors, which is maintained by a third-party
software vendor and/or its sister company, when the data is
Dear Representative Echols:               neither used, maintained, nor accessible by the Louisiana State
Fire Marshal.
Our office is in receipt of your request for an opinion regarding the Louisiana State Fire
Marshall's (LSFM) obligation under the Louisiana Public Records Law, La. R.S. 44:1,
et. seq. (LPRL), to disclose records maintained by the sister company of the LSFM's
third-party software vendor (the Software Vendor). State law charges the LSFIVI to take
those steps necessary and proper to protect life and property from the hazards of fire
and of panic which may arise from fire or from the threat of fire or explosion.  In the
furtherance of those duties, the LSFM is authorized to cause the inspection, certification,
and testing of all life safety systems and equipment in the state, whether in public or
private buildings, upon receipt of a complaint, during installation, or after installation to
determine compliance with applicable codes, standards, and manufacturer
specifications. Inspection duties are delegated to third-party, independent contractors
as authorized by La. R.S. 40:1646(A):3
The request provides that the LSFM has contracted with the Software Vendor to replace
its paper inspection tagging system with a digital QR Code Tagging system. The digital
system will essentially allow contractors to electronically report inspection information
regarding fire protection equipment, such as sprinkler systems and fire alarms, directly to
the LSFM. The inspection data, e.g., the date and status of inspected equipment, will be
transmitted to the LSFM's existing information management system.
The request also provides that the Software Vendors sister company offers the
contractors use of the same OR Code Tagging system in conjunction with a software
module that customizes the system for contractor use (hereinafter Contractor System).
The Contractor System allows the inspector to use the OR Code Tags to transmit client-
specific inspection data to an information management system. Use of the Contractor
System is not mandated by the LSFM. The data contained in the Contractor System, with
1 La. R.S. 40:1563(A).
2La. R.S. 40:1646(A). The terms inspection, certification, and testing will be used interchangeably herein.
Inspection contractors are licensed and regulated by the LSFM in accordance with the licensing provisions
set forth in the Life Safety and Property Protection Licensing Act, La. R.S. 40:1664.1, et. seq.

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