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Oakley told to adopt privacy program and appoint CAO, records officer under Utah’s Government Data Privacy Act
Summary
A state-funded adviser briefed Oakley on the Government Data Privacy Act (Utah Code 63A-19, 2024), explaining the city must complete a privacy program report by year-end, designate program leadership (CAO and records officer), and provide annual staff training using an eight-minute state video.
Spencer Foster of the Mountain Land Association of Governments briefed Oakley City Council on the Government Data Privacy Act (GDPA), Utah Code 63A-19 (2024), which requires all government entities to implement a data privacy program.
Foster explained the immediate statutory requirement for this year is to complete the privacy program report and store it as an internal document; only the state Office of Data Privacy may request to verify completion. He said implementation steps include designating program leadership (a CAO and a records officer), conducting a data inventory to document the types of personally identifiable information the city collects, adopting a privacy policy tailored to the city’s scope, and instituting annual staff training.
Foster said the CAO role is often filled by the mayor and that the records officer is likely the city recorder or another employee with GRAMA (Government Records Access and Management Act) training. He offered templates, a sample resolution, and free technical assistance funded by the state to help Oakley meet deadlines. Foster also recommended the city begin with simple practices—reduce unnecessary data collection, notify residents when data are collected, and avoid selling personal information.
Council members asked for clarification about who must be trained; Foster said anyone who touches identifiable personal information (including planners who view permit data) should watch the provided eight-minute training video, and while vendors are not mandated this year, it is best practice to involve them.
Foster offered to send templates and slide materials to Amy (city staff) and to help Oakley complete the privacy program report before the statutory deadline. Council indicated it would follow up with staff to assign leadership and complete the report.
