§ 6048o. Confidentiality
(a) All documents, materials, or other information, including confidential and privileged documents, examination reports, preliminary examination reports or results, working papers, recorded information, and copies thereof produced by, obtained by, or disclosed to the Commissioner or any other person in the course of an examination made under this subchapter are confidential and shall not be:
(1) subject to subpoena;
(2) subject to public inspection and copying under the Public Records Act; or
(3) discoverable or admissible in evidence in any private civil action.
(b) In furtherance of his or her regulatory duties, the Commissioner may:
(1) share documents, materials, or other information, including those that are confidential and privileged, with other state, federal, or international regulatory agencies and law enforcement authorities, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the North American Securities Administrators Association, self-regulatory organizations organized under 15 U.S.C. §§ 78f, 78o-3, and 78q-1, and other self-regulatory organizations and their affiliates or subsidiaries, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the document, material, or other information;
(2) receive documents, materials, or information, including those that are confidential and privileged, from other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies and law enforcement authorities, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the North American Securities Administrators Association, self-regulatory organizations organized under 15 U.S.C. §§ 78f, 78o-3, and 78q-1, and other self-regulatory organizations and their affiliates or subsidiaries and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any document, material, 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;
(3) enter into written agreements with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies and law enforcement authorities, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the North American Securities Administrators Association, self-regulatory organizations organized under 15 U.S.C. §§ 78f, 78o-3 and 78q-1, and other self-regulatory organizations and their affiliates or subsidiaries governing sharing and use of information consistent with this section, including agreements providing for cooperation between the Commissioner and other agencies in relation to the activities of a supervisory college; and
(4) participate in a supervisory college for any special purpose financial insurer that is part of an affiliated group with international operations in order to assess the insurer's compliance with Vermont laws and regulations, as well as to assess the business strategy, financial condition, risk exposure, risk management, governance processes, and legal and regulatory position.
(c) Prior to sharing information under subsection (b) of this section, the Commissioner shall determine that sharing the information will substantially further the performance of the regulatory or law enforcement duties of the recipient and may not be made public by the Commissioner or an employee or agent of the Commissioner without the written consent of the company, except to the extent provided in subsection (b) of this section. (Added 2013, No. 29, § 66, eff. May 13, 2013.)