u/senorfartyboy88

Quick update to my last post about trying to get records from a state licensing investigation.

The agency denied my request.
I appealed internally.
They denied that too.

So now I’ve taken it to the next level I just submitted an appeal to the Utah Government Records Office.

For anyone who didn’t see my original post, here’s the situation:

The State of Utah conducted a licensing investigation and used specific records to make its decision.

When I asked for those same records, I was told they don’t have to give them to me.

The reasoning has basically been:

• The records are “owned” by the provider
• Even though the state received and used them
• They’re being treated as private and not subject to release

So:

• The state used the records
• The state won’t release them
• The provider won’t release them

And now I’m stuck trying to get a third party to decide whether that’s actually allowed.

That’s what this new appeal is about.

I’m asking the Government Records Office to answer a pretty simple question:

👉 If a government agency uses records to make a decision, are those records subject to GRAMA or not?

Because right now, it feels like there’s a loophole where records can be used against someone, but never disclosed to them.

I’ll update again once I hear back.

If anyone here has gone through a GRAMA appeal with the Government Records Office, I’d be interested to hear how it went.

I’m honestly at a loss for how this is allowed to happen.

The State of Utah conducted a licensing investigation into a treatment provider and used specific records to make its decision.

When I requested those same records, I was told:

“They’re not records.”

Why?

Because they’re “owned” by the provider… even though the state received them, reviewed them, and relied on them during the investigation.

So I follow their instruction and go to the provider.

The provider says:
“We’ve already given everything we’re required to give.”

So now we have this:

• The state used the records
• The state says they don’t have to release them
• The provider won’t release them

And somehow that’s considered a valid outcome.

There is literally no way to review what the investigation was based on.

This isn’t about getting my way. This is about a basic question:

👉 If the government uses records to make decisions about people, shouldn’t those records be open to review?

Right now, the answer appears to be no.

And that should concern a lot more people than just me.

I’m reaching out to any Utah legislators or staff who may see this because I could really use some guidance on a process issue I’ve run into.

I filed a complaint with the Division of Licensing and Background Checks regarding a situation at a licensed treatment provider. The investigation was completed and closed as unsubstantiated, but I was never interviewed as the reporting party, even though I offered to provide additional information.

Afterward, I requested records related to the investigation. I was told that certain materials were received and reviewed during the investigation, but I’m now being denied access to those same records because they are considered to be owned by a third party.

I’m not trying to make accusations or push an outcome, I’m just trying to understand how this process is supposed to work.

Is it standard for a licensing investigation to be closed without speaking to the complainant, and how is someone supposed to understand the outcome if the records relied upon aren’t accessible?

If anyone has insight or can point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it.