# Utah S.B. 277: Government Records Management Amendments Utah S.B. 277, Government Records Management Amendments, is a 2025 General Session Senate bill sponsored by Michael K. McKell (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-03-27 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB277-2025GS - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Utah S.B. 277 - State: Utah - Session: 2025 General Session - Title: Government Records Management Amendments - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-13 - Last action: 2025-03-27, Governor Signed - Sponsor: Michael K. McKell (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Government Records, Division of Human Resource Management, Legislative Operations, Administrative Rulemaking, Administrative Rulemaking and Procedures, Department of Government Operations, Government Operations (State Issues), Sunsets and Repealers, Archives and Records, New Rulemaking Authority - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 20 (130 yes, 48 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Audit records get a disclosure referee: benefit, low. Beginning May 7, 2025, the state auditor can send audit-record disclosure disputes to the Government Records Office director. The dispute must involve a record obtained during an audit that the audit subject claims is exempt from disclosure. The director decides whether to release it with the audit… - More people can challenge records decisions: benefit, low. People harmed by an access denial or a decision upholding it can appeal even without joining the earlier proceedings. This right also covers people who did not request the records. The director reviews fee and access disputes and whether records are public for certified-copy purposes. Certain restr… - New office handles public records appeals: benefit, low. The Government Records Office director replaces the State Records Committee, with staff and support from the state archives division. Local governments without appeals boards send appeals from their chief administrative officer to the director. Local appeals-board decisions can go to the director o… - Abusive records requests face yearlong limits: mixed, medium. A government entity can petition the director for relief from a requester it claims is abusive. The director considers request volume, abuse patterns, and substantial interference when deciding whether the requester is vexatious. After that finding, the director can excuse the entity from fulfillin… - Records release orders carry stronger penalties: mixed, low. The Government Records Office director hears covered appeals and can order records released. Government entities face civil penalties up to $500 per day for continuing noncompliance with a release order. This applies when the entity files neither a compliance notice nor a notice of intent to appeal… - Records reviews balance access and privacy: mixed, low. People harmed by a record’s classification or designation can appeal without requesting access. When that nonrequester is the only appellant, a decision is due within 30 days after filing. The director weighs personal privacy against public disclosure interests when reviewing certain private record… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Michael K. McKell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Moss, Jefferson ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-06 | Senate | Senate/ concurs with House amendment | pass | 18 | 6 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | House/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | House/ passed 3rd reading | pass | 44 | 23 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | House/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-05 | House | House/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-03-03 | House | House Comm - Substitute Recommendation | pass | 11 | 0 | | | 2025-03-03 | House | House Comm - Favorable Recommendation | pass | 9 | 2 | | | 2025-02-27 | Senate | Senate/ passed 3rd reading | pass | 21 | 8 | | | 2025-02-26 | Senate | Senate/ passed 2nd reading | pass | 18 | 7 | | | 2025-02-26 | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-26 | Senate | Senate/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-21 | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation | pass | 5 | 0 | | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation | pass | 4 | 2 | | | | Senate | Senate/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | House | House/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | House | House/ uncircled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | House | House/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ substituted | fail | 0 | 0 | | | | Senate | Senate/ circled | fail | 0 | 0 | | ## Actions (47) - 2025-03-27: Governor Signed - 2025-03-17: Senate/ to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate - 2025-03-07: Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared - 2025-03-07: Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling - 2025-03-07: Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Senate/ received from House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: House/ to Senate (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate (House) - 2025-03-06: House/ received from Senate (House) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ to House (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ concurs with House amendment (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Senate/ received from House (Senate) - 2025-03-05: House/ to Senate (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ passed 3rd reading (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ substituted (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ uncircled (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ circled (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ 3rd reading (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ 2nd reading (House) - 2025-03-05: House/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar (House) - 2025-03-04: House/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact (House) - 2025-03-04: House/ comm rpt/ substituted (House) - 2025-03-03: House Comm - Favorable Recommendation (House) - 2025-03-03: House Comm - Substitute Recommendation (House) - 2025-02-28: House/ to standing committee (House) - 2025-02-27: House/ 1st reading (Introduced) (House) - 2025-02-27: House/ received from Senate (House) - 2025-02-27: Senate/ to House (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Senate/ passed 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-27: Senate/ 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Senate/ passed 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Senate/ substituted (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Senate/ uncircled (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Senate/ circled (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Senate/ 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Senate/ to standing committee (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced) (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed ## Bill text - Enrolled, 2025-03-14: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/SB0277.pdf) - Substitute #4, 2025-03-05: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S04.pdf) - Substitute #3, 2025-03-03: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S03.pdf) - Substitute #2, 2025-02-25: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S02.pdf) - Substitute #1, 2025-02-18: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S01.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-02-13: [PDF](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277.pdf) ## Related bills - S.B. 199: Guardianship Amendments (signed) - H.B. 562: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Amendments (signed) - H.B. 493: Medical Examiner Amendments (signed) - H.B. 482: Health and Human Services Reporting Requirements (signed) - S.B. 197: Property Tax Amendments (vetoed) - S.B. 3: Appropriations Adjustments (signed) ## Sources - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/enrolled/SB0277.pdf) - [Substitute #4 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S04.pdf) - [Substitute #3 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S03.pdf) - [Substitute #2 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S02.pdf) - [Substitute #1 (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277S01.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://le.utah.gov/Session/2025/bills/introduced/SB0277.pdf) ## Related - [S.B. 199: Guardianship Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB199-2025GS) - [H.B. 562: Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB562-2025GS) - [H.B. 493: Medical Examiner Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB493-2025GS) - [H.B. 482: Health and Human Services Reporting Requirements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-HB482-2025GS) - [S.B. 197: Property Tax Amendments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB197-2025GS) - [S.B. 3: Appropriations Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB3-2025GS) - [Utah bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/utah/bills) - [Utah state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/utah) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/UT-SB277-2025GS (as of 2026-10-17).