(a) The department shall maintain a child protection registry of all investigation reports, including substantiated findings under AS 47.10 or AS 47.17.
(b) Investigation reports and reports of harm filed under this chapter are considered confidential and are not subject to public inspection and copying under AS 40.25.110 and 40.25.120. However, in accordance with department regulations, investigation reports, including substantiated findings under AS 47.10 or AS 47.17, may be used by appropriate governmental agencies with child-protection functions, inside and outside the state, in connection with investigations or judicial proceedings involving child abuse, neglect, or custody and in conjunction with licensing action under AS 47.32 or a similar statute in another state. A person not acting in accordance with department regulations who, with criminal negligence, makes public information contained in confidential reports is guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(c) Before a substantiated finding may be placed on the child protection registry and provided as part of a civil history check under AS 47.05.325, the department shall provide the applicant notice of the finding and an opportunity to appeal the finding. The department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.
(d) In this section, “governmental agency” includes a tribe or tribal organization conducting child protection functions and a school district.