Under Wisconsin law, which type of information is not public information?

• A. Court records
• B. Patient health care records
• C. Educational records
• D. Public health data

Answer: (B)

Under Wisconsin law, most information held by government bodies is public, but confidential health information is exempt from disclosure. Patient health care records contain sensitive medical details and are protected by privacy laws (including HIPAA and state confidentiality statutes), so they cannot be released to the public without the patient’s consent or a specific legal exception. This contrasts with court records, which are generally accessible, and public health data, which is usually released in aggregated or de-identified form. Educational records are also protected by privacy laws (such as FERPA) and are not routinely available to the public. The key point is that health care records require consent and are kept confidential, making them not public information.