Utah Code § 53D-2-203 — Utah Code / Title 53D / Chapter 53D-2 / § 53D-2-203
§ 53D-2-203. Land Trusts Protection and Advocacy Office director -- Appointment -- Removal -- Power and duties.
Status: in_force

7/1/2026 (1) (a) The advocacy committee shall: (i) discuss candidates who may qualify for appointment as the advocacy director, as described in Subsection (1)(b); (ii) determine the two most qualified candidates; and (iii) submit the names of those two candidates to the state treasurer as potential appointees for the advocacy director. (b) A potential appointee for advocacy director shall have significant expertise and qualifications relating to generating revenue to the school and institutional trust and the duties of the advocacy office and the advocacy director, which may include expertise in: (i) business; (ii) finance; (iii) economics; (iv) natural resources; or (v) advocacy. (c) From the individuals described in Subsection (1)(a), the state treasurer shall appoint one as the advocacy director. (2) (a) An advocacy director shall serve a four-year term. (b) If a vacancy occurs in the advocacy director's position, the advocacy committee and state treasurer shall, in accordance with Subsection (1), appoint a replacement director for a four-year term. (3) The advocacy committee may remove the advocacy director during a meeting that is not closed as described in Section 52-4-204, if: (a) removal of the advocacy director is scheduled on the agenda for the meeting; and (b) a majority of a committee quorum votes to remove the advocacy director. (4) In accordance with state and federal law, the advocacy director may attend a presentation, discussion, meeting, or other gathering related to the school and institutional trust. (5) In order to fulfill the duties of the advocacy office described in Section 53D-2-201, the advocacy director shall: (a) maintain a direct relationship with each individual who is key to fulfilling the state's trustee obligations and duties related to the trust; (b) facilitate open communication among key individuals described in Subsection (5)(a); (c) actively seek necessary and accurate information; (d) review and, if necessary, recommend the state auditor audit, activities involved in: (i) generating trust revenue; (ii) protecting trust assets; or (iii) distributing funds for the exclusive use of trust beneficiaries; (e) promote accurate record keeping of all records relevant to the trust and distribution to trust beneficiaries; (f) report at least quarterly to the advocacy committee and the state treasurer on the current activities of the advocacy office; (g) annually submit a proposed advocacy office budget to the state treasurer; (h) regarding the trust's compliance with law, and among the School and Institutional Trust Lands System as a whole, report annually to: (i) the advocacy committee; (ii) the state treasurer; (iii) the State Board of Education; and (iv) the Executive Appropriations Committee; (i) annually send a financial report regarding the relevant individual trust, and, upon request, report in person to: (i) Utah State University, on behalf of the agricultural college trust; (ii) the University of Utah; (iii) the Utah State Hospital, on behalf of the mental hospital trust; (iv) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, on behalf of the schools for the deaf and blind trusts; (v) the youth in care program at the State Board of Education, on behalf of the reform school trust; (vi) the Division of Water Resources, created in Section 73-10-18, on behalf of the reservoir trust; (vii) the College of Mines and Earth Sciences created in Section 53H-4-208; (viii) each state teachers' college, based on the college's annual number of teacher graduates, on behalf of the normal school trust; (ix) the Miners' Hospital described in Section 53H-4-207; and (x) the State Capitol Preservation Board, created in Section 63O-2-201, on behalf of the public buildings trust; (j) as requested by the state treasurer, draft proposed rules and submit the proposed rules to the advocacy committee for review; (k) in accordance with state and federal law, respond to external requests for information about the School and Institutional Trust Lands System; (l) in accordance with state and federal law, speak on behalf of trust beneficiaries: (i) at School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration meetings; (ii) at School and Institutional Trust Fund Office meetings; and (iii) with the media; (m) review proposed legislation that affects the school and institutional trust and trust beneficiaries and advocate for legislative change that best serves the interests of the trust beneficiaries; and (n) educate the public regarding the School and Institutional Trust Lands System. (6) With regard to reviewing the activities described in Subsection (5)(d), the advocacy director may have access to the financial reports and other data required for a review.