Source: http://www.archives.utah.gov/src/srcappeal-2012-06.html
Timestamp: 2014-09-20 07:56:57
Document Index: 750224356

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 53', '§ 63', '§ 53', '§ 53', '§ 63']

State Records Committee Appeal 2012-06 BEFORE THE STATE RECORDS COMMITTEE OF THE STATE OF UTAH
GORDON THOMAS, Petitioner, vs. UTAH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, Respondent. DECISION AND ORDER
Case No. 12-06
By this appeal, Petitioner, Gordon Thomas, seeks to appeal the denial of his records request for records associated with his criminal history. FACTS
On or about December 12, 2011, Mr. Thomas made a records request pursuant to the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (“GRAMA”) to the Utah Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Criminal Identification (“BCI”). BCI denied his request on December 14, 2011 indicating that his request was deficient because Mr. Thomas failed to provide fingerprints and pay the required $15.00 fee and, therefore, failed to comply with Utah Administrative Code R722-900-3. On or about January 9, 2012, Mr. Thomas appealed BCI’s denial of his request for his criminal history to the Commissioner of PDS, Lance Davenport. Mr. Thomas indicated he was not able to provide fingerprints and the fee because he was incarcerated and, accordingly, lacked the means to comply with the rule. Commissioner Davenport sustained BCI’s previous denial of Mr. Thomas’ records request on January 17, 2012 re-affirming the finding that Mr. Thomas failed to comply with the requirements necessary to obtain his criminal history. Mr. Thomas now appeals this denial to the State Records Committee (“Committee”). The Committee having reviewed the submissions of the parties and having heard oral argument and testimony on April12, 2012, now issues the following Decision and Order. STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR DECISION
1.	GRAMA specifies that “all records are public unless otherwise expressly provided by statute.” Utah Code § 63G-2-201(2). Records that are not public are designated as either “private,” “protected,” or “controlled.” See, Utah Code §§ 63G-2-302, -303, -304 and -305. 2.	Records to which access is restricted pursuant to court rule, another state statute, or federal statute are not public. See Utah Code § 63G-2-201(3)(d). 3.	At the hearing, counsel for BCI argued that access to “criminal history” records is controlled by Utah Code § 53-10-108 and Utah Admin. R., R722-900-3, and that Mr. Thomas failed to comply with the requirements found in this statute and accompanying rule. Counsel further argued that pursuant to Utah Code § 63G-2-201 the records are not public because access is controlled by another state statute. 4.	Mr. Thomas argued that he should be allowed access to his criminal history without meeting the requirements of Utah Code § 53-10-108 or Utah Admin. R., R722-900-3 because he lacks the means to comply with the statutes due to his incarceration at the Utah State Prison. 5.	After hearing the arguments of the parties, and having reviewed their submissions, the Committee is convinced and therefore finds that access to the records requested by petitioner is restricted pursuant to another state statute, specifically Utah Code § 53-10-108 and is therefore not public pursuant to Utah Code § 63G-2-201(3)(d). ORDER
THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED THAT the appeal of Petitioner, Gordon Thomas is hereby denied. RIGHT TO APPEAL