Anti-fraud unit; records and information; exempt from freedom of information act; duties of director; disclosure; waiver.

(1) A document, material, or information related to an investigation of the anti-fraud unit is confidential by law and privileged, is not subject to the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246, is not subject to subpoena, and is not subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action. However, the director may use the documents, materials, or information in the furtherance of any supervisory activity or legal action brought as part of the director's duties. (2) The director, or any person that received documents, materials, or information while acting on behalf of the anti-fraud unit, is not permitted and may not be required to testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential documents, materials, or information described in subsection (1). (3) To assist in the performance of the anti-fraud unit's duties, the director may do any of the following: (a) Share documents, materials, or information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information that is subject to subsection (1), with any of the following: (i) Other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies. (ii) Other state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, if the recipient agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, materials, or information. (iii) Any other person as the director considers necessary to discharge the anti-fraud unit's duties under section 6301 or other applicable law. (b) Receive documents, materials, or information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information, from any of the following: (i) Other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies. (ii) Other state, federal, and international law enforcement authorities, if the recipient agrees to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the documents, materials, or information. (iii) Any other person as the director considers necessary to discharge his or her duties under this act or any other applicable act. (c) Enter into agreements governing the sharing and use of information that are consistent with this section. (4) The director shall maintain as confidential and privileged any documents, materials, or information received under subsection (3)(b) with notice or the understanding that the documents, materials, or information is confidential and privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the documents, materials, or information. (5) The disclosure of any documents, materials, or information to the director, or the sharing of documents, materials, or information under subsection (3), is not a waiver of, and must not be construed as a waiver of, any privilege applicable to or claim of confidentiality in those documents, materials, or information.