Cox picks former Sean Reyes staffer to lead new public records office

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed a staffer to former Attorney General Sean Reyes as the director of the Government Records Office to replace the seven-member panel that previously ruled on disputes over public records.

Lonny Pehrson was appointed as the first director of the newly created office, the Utah Department of Government Operations announced on Monday. He is tasked with adjudicating appeals to public records requests and overseeing daily operations of the office.

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“We look forward to the Government Records Office streamlining the appeals process and helping Utahns get timely answers to their records requests,” Cox said. “Lonny Pehrson’s legal expertise and commitment to good governance make him the right person to lead this important effort.”

The Government Records Office was created this year by state lawmakers to replace the State Records Committee, a seven-member volunteer panel that used to handle appeals to public records under the state’s Government Records Access and Management Act, or GRAMA. Although journalists often use public records in reporting, the vast majority of requests are made by everyday Utahns.

The State Records Committee met for the last time in April and public records appeals stalled during the interim.

The bill sponsor, Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, argued the new office will be more nimble in responding to requests for public records and that the director would bring a level of legal expertise to the role. Pehrson was appointed to a four-year term.

“I am honored to have been nominated for this position and truly appreciate the trust and responsibility it entails,” he said. “I look forward to establishing the Government Records Office, which will better facilitate access to government records in accordance with the law.”

Pehrson graduated from the University of Utah’s S.J. Quinney College of Law and worked for the U.S. District Courts of Utah and Texas. Most recently, he served as government records counsel for the Utah Attorney General’s Office, where he sought to block KSL from obtaining copies of Reyes’ work calendar from his time in office.

Kenneth Williams, the state archivist and director of the Division of Archives and Records Service, said he is “thrilled” to welcome Pehrson to the new role.

“I have worked with Lonny for several years and know that his expertise in records law and dedication to public service will be invaluable as we continue to ensure appropriate and reliable access to government records for the people of Utah,” he said.