Is Utah becoming a ‘black hole’ for public records? Here are the anti-transparency laws the Legislature passed.

Written By Ana West

By Robert Gehrke, Salt Lake Tribune, March 29, 2025

The Utah Legislature became the first two-time winner of the Society of Professional Journalists’ national Black Hole Award, awarded annually to the government entity that gulps up sunshine and blots out transparency.

Utah locked up the “dishonor,” according to SPJ, for bills that dismantle the state’s records committee, make it virtually impossible for the public to recoup legal fees when records are improperly withheld, obscure college president searches and axe language recognizing the public’s constitutional right to access information about how their government operates.

Ana West
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