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Sevier County adopts privacy program and names Chief Privacy Officer under new state requirement
Summary
The Sevier County Commission unanimously adopted a county Privacy Program Policy on Jan. 26, 2026, appointing Executive Director Malcolm Nash as Chief Privacy Officer and directing departments to designate GRAMA officers to manage public records and data access under the new state requirement.
Sevier County commissioners on Jan. 26 adopted a county-wide Privacy Program Policy required by recent state legislation and designated a Chief Privacy Officer to oversee the program. County staff said the program aims to ensure the county collects and retains only necessary private data, secures records appropriately, and clarifies departmental responsibilities for handling public-records requests.
Why it matters: State law required local governments to develop privacy programs and appoint officers to oversee data practices. The county's policy sets out an initial framework and assigns oversight responsibility to the County Attorney while naming Malcolm Nash as the Chief Privacy Officer to lead ongoing implementation.
What was presented: Kade Johnson reviewed the draft policy and described steps departments will take, including designating a certified GRAMA officer in each department to follow state code when disbursing information. Johnson described the policy as a starting point that will be updated over time and said it includes procedures to limit collection of unnecessary private data.
Commission action: Commissioner Greg Jensen moved to adopt the Sevier County Privacy Program Policy; Commissioner Ralph Brown seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Minutes record that Malcolm Nash will serve as the Chief Privacy Officer and that the County Attorney will oversee legal compliance.
Next steps: Departments will identify and certify GRAMA officers and County staff will continue refining the privacy program. The Commission recorded the policy adoption in the minutes; staff will manage implementation and report updates as the program evolves.
