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Utah transparency legislation

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This page covers legislation related to transparency in government proposed in Utah.

2009

House Bill 122[1][2], proposed by Rep. Douglas Aagard at the request of the Attorney General's Office, sought to prohibit the weighing of public interest in documents against the government's desire to conceal information. It would have also allowed records to be withheld if they are associated with pending or "anticipated" litigation. Steve Bloch, an attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, said that "This bill is a step backward and would restrict our current law significantly."[3] HB122 advanced from committee to the House floor 7-3 along party lines, with Republicans voting for it, and Democrats against.[4] HB122 also passed the House, 43-27. It was sent to the senate for consideration.[5]

The Salt Lake Tribune editorialized against the bill, calling it "an attempt to subvert that system and the public's interest in holding government accountable."[6]

Utah Senate Bill 18 (2009)[7] would have required all cities, counties, school districts, and special districts (transit districts, water districts, etc.) in Utah to regularly post their expenditures online in a searchable format.

SB18 passed the Utah Senate by a 29-0 margin on February 2, 2009.

2008

  • Utah Senate Bill 18 (2009) requires all cities, counties, school districts, and special districts to post their budget online.
  • Utah Senate Bill 38 (2008) requires the creation of an online database detailing state expenditures by May 15, 2009.

Footnotes

  1. Text of HB 122
  2. Status of HB 122
  3. Bill would cut off access to some records, Salt Lake Tribune, February 3, 2009
  4. Panel OKs bill weakening public access to government records, Salt Lake Tribune, February 10, 2009
  5. Less-public records? House endorses GRAMA revision, Salt Lake Tribune, February 18, 2009
  6. Public records, Salt Lake Tribune, February 12, 2009
  7. Text of SB18