Montezuma County declines state PII certification, directs attorney and public health director to respond

Montezuma County commissioners on Jan. 14 declined to sign a state-required annual certification that would affirm the county will not use personal identifying information (PII) from certain state databases to assist federal immigration enforcement, and they authorized the county attorney and the public health director to draft a response to the state explaining the county’s decision.

The board’s action followed a lengthy public discussion about the statute — enacted in 2022, according to the county attorney — that requires third parties seeking access to nonpublic state databases containing PII to certify under penalty of perjury they will not use that information for immigration enforcement except where compelled by a court-issued subpoena, warrant or order. The county attorney told the board the new law requires an annual certification to maintain access to those databases.

Why it matters: Montezuma County public health programs rely on access to federal and state databases — including WIC and immunization information systems —…