11-18-117. Confidentiality of livestock premises and identification records; penalties.

(a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, all records, data and information collected by the state, recorded or otherwise, for the purposes of a national livestock identification program shall be confidential and are not public records for purposes of W.S. 16-4-201 through 16-4-205. The records, data and information shall be released only upon order of the Wyoming livestock board to appropriate governmental agencies for the purposes of a national livestock identification program, disease outbreak or law enforcement investigation. The board shall not release any records, data or information to a federal agency until the agency confirms in writing that it will maintain the records, data and information as confidential and that they are not subject to the federal Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended. Upon release by the board of any information to any other governmental entity, the board shall notify the person to whom the information refers or pertains that the release has been made, the name of the entity to whom the information was released and shall provide a copy or summary of the information contained in the release. The records, data and information shall not be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil action.

(b) The Wyoming livestock board may release information collected for the purposes of a national livestock identification program related to the ownership and location of individual animals to the extent the information is useful in controlling or preventing a disease outbreak or to show particular animals or herds are not involved in a disease outbreak. The information released may be a public release or may be limited to specific individuals with a need to know the information, as the livestock board deems the circumstances require.

(c) A person who knowingly provides false information to the Wyoming livestock board for purposes of a national livestock identification program shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), imprisonment for up to six (6) months, or both.

(d) A person who refuses to provide to the livestock board information that is required under the authority of the livestock board for purposes of a mandatory national livestock identification program shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), imprisonment for up to six (6) months, or both.