E. Business records, financial data, trade secrets.

The Alabama Code contains numerous provisions for the confidentiality of business information, financial data, trade secrets, and other proprietary information that is gathered or required to be filed with state agencies, including such information as is related to or included in records involving the following matters:

1. Agricultural cooperative marketing associations. Ala. Code §§ 2-10-28, -29 (1999).

2. Banking. Ala. Code §§ 5-2A-80, 5-3A-11 (1996) and 5-3A-3(a), 5-5A-44(b), 5-13B-105(a) (Supp. 2010).

3. Department of Energy matters. Ala. Code §§ 41-6A-4(8), -7, -11 (2000).

4. Environmental pollution control. Ala. Code §§ 22-22-9(c), 22-28-20(a), 22-30-18, 22-30-19(d) (1997).

5. Health maintenance organizations. Ala. Code §§ 27-21A-24, -25 (1998).

6. Horse and greyhound racing. Ala. Code §§ 11-65-10(10), -15, -18 (1994).

7. Livestock markets. Ala. Code § 2-15-62(e) (Supp. 2005).

8. Meat and poultry. Ala. Code § 2-17-24(a)(2) (1999).

9. Milk-processing establishments. Ala. Code § 2-13-92 (1999).

10. Revenue rulings. Ala. Code § 40-2A-5(d) (2003).

11. Seed. Ala. Code § 2-26-10(d) (1999).

12. Surface coal mining. Ala. Code §§ 9-16-83(b)(16), -84(a)(14), -87(b), -100 (2001).

13. Underground tank and wellhead. Ala. Code § 22-36-8 (1997).

Alabama courts also protect the confidentiality of proprietary information and trade secrets in court records in appropriate cases. See Holland v. Eads, 614 So. 2d 1012, 1016 (Ala. 1993); Duck Head Apparel Co. v. Hoots, 659 So. 2d 897, 916-17 (Ala. 1995).

The following otherwise-private financial and business information is subject to public disclosure:

1. The data on financial disclosure statements that public officials in the state are required to file with the Alabama Ethics Commission. Ala. Code § 36-25-4(a)(5) (Supp. 2010).

2. Documents filed by a taxpayer in support of a protest of property valuation. 215 Op. Att'y Gen. Ala. 39, 41 (June 14, 1989).