§ 16–925. Privacy protection for victims of domestic violence.

(a) The Mayor shall promulgate rules and establish procedures to implement safeguards, applicable to all confidential information handled by the IV-D agency or executive branch agencies in cooperative agreements with the IV-D agency, to protect the privacy rights of parties in IV-D agency proceedings. These safeguards shall include the following:

(1) Prohibitions against the unauthorized use or disclosure of information relating to paternity, support, or custody actions in IV-D agency proceedings;

(2) Prohibitions against the release of information concerning the whereabouts of one party or a child to another party, if a protection order has been entered (in the District or in another jurisdiction) to protect the party or the child whose whereabouts are being sought from the party seeking disclosure;

(3) Prohibitions against release of information concerning the whereabouts of one party or a child to another party if the Mayor has reason to believe that the release of the information may result in physical or emotional harm to the party or the child whose whereabouts are being sought;

(4) Requirements to notify the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services when:

(A) The Mayor has reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse against a party or a child; or

(B) The disclosure of information concerning the whereabouts of the party or the child could be harmful to the party or the child; and

(5) In cases where the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“Department”) has informed the IV-D agency that the Department has been notified that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse, requirements to determine whether disclosure of information concerning a party’s or child’s whereabouts to any other person would be harmful to a party or the child, and if so, to prohibit the disclosure.

(b) The Superior Court shall establish procedures to implement safeguards, applicable to all confidential information possessed by the Superior Court, to protect the privacy rights of parties in paternity or support proceedings. These safeguards shall include:

(1) Prohibitions against unauthorized use or disclosure of information relating to paternity, support, or custody actions in Superior Court proceedings;

(2) Prohibitions against the release of information concerning the whereabouts of one party or a child to another party, if a protection order has been entered (in the District or in another jurisdiction) to protect the party or the child whose whereabouts are being sought from the party seeking disclosure;

(3) Prohibitions against release of information concerning the whereabouts of one party or a child to another party if the Superior Court has reason to believe that the release of information may result in physical or emotional harm to the party or the child whose whereabouts are being sought;

(4) Requirements to notify the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services when:

(A) The Superior Court has reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse against a party or a child; or

(B) The disclosure of information concerning the whereabouts of the party or the child could be harmful to the party or the child; and

(5) In cases where the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“Department”) has informed the Superior Court that the Department has been notified that there is reasonable evidence of domestic violence or child abuse, requirements to determine whether disclosure of information concerning a party’s or child’s whereabouts to any other person would be harmful to a party or the child, and if so, to prohibit the disclosure.