GRAMA update

KSL.com reports Gov. Herbert signed "the amended version" of House Bill 477, the bill in question. Apparently the only difference is the law won't go into effect until July 1. Herbert said the legislature will continue to debate and adapt the bill, but not everybody's buying the delay as a legitimate explanation for signing it in the first place.

A little more explanation on what HB477 does, again from KSL.com: "In its present form, HB477 largely exempts the Legislature and several forms of electronic communication from GRAMA, increases fees for records requests and removes language favoring openness."

Legislators' argument for passing the bill: GRAMA needed to be modernized "since many private or informal discussions now take place through text messaging."

Note: the 2011 legislative general session ends tomorrow, March 10. The governor will have to call a special session to discuss this.