Legislation introduced this session could dissolve Utah’s State Records Committee after more than 30 years of handling disputes over public records access. The proposed bill by Senate Majority Assistant Whip Mike McKell would send records disputes to an administrative law judge instead. Critics argue that this change could make the system less accessible and more expensive for citizens.
The State Records Committee, established in 1992, consists of trained archivists, citizen appointees, and a representative from the media. It has become a model for other states, with appeals being affirmed over 90% of the time in district court.
Some suggest adopting a system similar to Ohio’s, where records requests can be resolved quickly and without the need for a lawyer in a court of claims. However, the key is ensuring independence to avoid political interference in decision-making.
The delays and backlog of cases faced by the State Records Committee have prompted calls for reform to address the growing number of appeals. Other bills introduced this session, such as SB163 sponsored by Sen. Wayne Harper, also aim to impact public access to government records by changing criteria for what is considered a record under GRAMA.
As discussions continue on the proposed changes to the appeals process for open records cases in Utah, stakeholders are closely monitoring the potential impact on transparency and public access to information.
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