Privacy
During the 2021 Utah General Legislative Session, the Legislature passed HB 243 which created several positions to oversee privacy practices within state government and within other Utah governmental entities. The Personal Privacy Oversight Commission (PPOC) and the State Privacy Officer, in the Office of the State Auditor, and the Government Operations Privacy Officer, in the executive branch, are tasked in statute with focusing on government management and care of individual private information to minimize the risk to individual privacy.
State Privacy Officer
The State Privacy Officer focuses on the privacy practices of designated governmental entities, including cities, counties, school districts, higher education, and colleges and universities.
This focus includes responsibility to:
- Analyze and report on government privacy practices
- Provide educational and training materials
- Identify privacy practices that pose the greatest risk to individual privacy and prioritize those privacy practices for review
- Respond to requests from individuals to review a designated government entity’s privacy practice
- Make privacy recommendations to the State Legislature
State Auditor, John Dougall has appointed the State Privacy Officer, Whitney A. Phillips, Ph.D.
For more information on the appointment of Dr. Phillips, please see the News Release – Office of the State Auditor Announces Appointment of State Privacy Officer or Dr. Phillips’ biography.
Personal Privacy Oversight Commission
The new Personal Privacy Oversight Commission was also created during the 2021 General Legislative Session by HB 243. Pursuant to statute, the State Auditor appoints five members of the commission, the Governor appoints five members, and the Attorney General appoints two members. (See Utah Code 63C‐24‐201.)
Visit the Boards and Commissions page to see Members of the Commission and appointment details.
See Public Meeting Notices Site for the Personal Privacy Oversight Commission, member contact information, Commission meeting schedules, meeting content and minutes and recordings.
Latest Presentations and Updates from the State Privacy Officer
ABA Antitrust Section Video Spotlight of Dr. Whitney Phillips – May 25, 2022
Presentation by State Privacy Officer to Utah Association of Counties – April 28, 2022
Presentation by State Privacy Officer to Utah Bar Association Spring Conference – March 24, 2022
Presentation by State Privacy Officer to Personal Privacy Oversight Commission – March 16, 2022
Government Operations Privacy Officer
The Governor has appointed Christopher Bramwell as the Government Operations Privacy Officer in the Department of Technology Services. The GPO is to review the data practices of state agencies