The Law Department has recently established two new committees—the Privacy Review Committee and the Waiver/Exemption Committee. These committees ensure that the Law Department has coordinated processes to provide advice on complex legal questions that span different practice groups of the Law Department.
The Privacy Review Committee streamlines the Law Department’s internal process for reviewing privacy-related matters. Due to the complexity of the applicable confidentiality laws and the increased volume of City data sharing initiatives, the Law Department reviewed its resources and processes to ensure that it is able to provide coordinated, consistent, and timely counsel.
As a result, the Law Department has:
- Identified internal subject matter experts who will continue to provide advice on the confidentiality laws within their area of expertise.
- Retained outside counsel to supplement the Law Department’s expertise when necessary.
- Designated the HIPAA & Privacy Law Unit to serve as gatekeeper and process coordinator.
The Waiver/Exemption Committee formalizes and streamlines the Law Department’s practice of reviewing requests for waivers of, or exemptions from, statutory requirements, contractual terms, or City policies to address issues such as equal protection, due process, religious liberty, or other First Amendment concerns. It is composed of a cross section of Law Department attorneys and may convene experts as needed from outside the Law Department.
On April 29, 2020, the Law Department adopted the following procedures to implement the Waiver/Exemption Committee.