Governor pushing for GRAMA ombudsman

SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert favors having an ombudsman to handle requests for state government records.

And he said Thursday if lawmakers aren’t prepared to create the position with legislation, he’ll do it by executive order. Herbert said the ombudsman would act as “traffic cop” to facilitate requests and access to records.

The idea for an ombudsman grew out of the GRAMA working group the state formed after the HB477 debacle last year. The Legislature attempted to make the Government Records and Access and Management Act more restrictive, drawing loud public protests. Lawmakers later repealed the changes and set up a broad-based committee to study the law.

Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, who served on the working group, intends to run a bill proposing changes to GRAMA, including the creation of an ombudsman.

Herbert said he wants to work with the Legislature to make that happen. The state, he said, could create the position at minimal cost to existing budgets.