Public records backlog could keep Utahns in the dark until late 2025

SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns seeking answers through public records appeals are running into an unprecedented roadblock: a backlog so severe it could take until the end of next year to clear.

The State Records Committee, the panel responsible for hearing appeals on public records denials, has not held a meeting since September due to a lack of quorum, leaving 86 appeals unresolved.

KSL Investigators filed a records request to assess the extent of the backlog and found 86 appeals still pending. On average, over the past four years, it took about 90 to 100 days for petitioners to have their case heard.

However, some individuals on the current waitlist have already been waiting more than 200 days.

“We may not even get 2024’s done within 2025,” said Linda Peterson, a current member of the records committee.

The committee typically meets once a month for about nine hours, hearing seven to eight appeals per session, according to its annual report. But delays in appointments to the volunteer committee have left it unable to function.

Fiscal year 2024 saw a record-breaking 261 appeals, compounding the backlog.

Read the full story and more from Courtney Johns on ksltv.com.