Utah's records-access law is ranked third in nation

Compared to other states, Utah has one of the better open government records laws, according to several national organizations. But open government advocates say a law is only as good as the public officials who follow it.

A joint study by the Better Government Association and Investigative Reporters and Editors ranks Utah third in the nation for its law that allows citizen access to government information.

Utah's Government Records Access and Management Act, affectionately known by officials as GRAMA, was given a "B-" by the study, coming in just under New Jersey and Nebraska, who received a "B" grade for their laws. No state received an "A."

Another study by the University of Florida placed Utah somewhere in the middle in a blind review of state laws by a panel of legal experts.

In a detailed study released this week, which compared state laws on 30 different categories, University of Florida researchers noted that Utah's GRAMA was one of five state laws voted the most helpful for citizens seeking to copy records, inspect records, or have records copied and delivered to them. The other states were North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada and Montana. The project listed North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Indiana as the top five states offering citizens the best access to public records.

"Utah, as expected, was kind of in the middle of the pack," said Brigham Young University journalism professor and open government specialist Joel Campbell, who participated in the University of Florida project.

Experts on the subject of open government say GRAMA is one of the better laws in the United States. However, problems exist among the attitudes of some public officials who simply do not want the public or the press to have access to information.

"I think the structure of GRAMA is sound," Campbell said. "As far as practical application, that's another story. . . . I still believe there's not been enough education of public officials on how this law works."

Campbell said that, typically, government officials balk at giving out public information because some of it may prove embarrassing. "Nancy Workman, for example, that's embarrassing," he said. The former Salt Lake County mayor was charged last year and ultimately acquitted of misuse of public money.

"You can have a great, proactive public access law, but if officials don't know the law, what good is it?" said Salt Lake City attorney Jeff Hunt, who has championed freedom of information causes over the years.

Under GRAMA, an agency may charge a fee for copying or research, although the law encourages agencies to waive fees for the public benefit.