If you live in Utah, you have many things to be grateful for, including the majestic mountains. Utah is one of my favorite places to ski. And now it ranks as one of my favorite states for data privacy.

This week, Utah Governor Spencer Cox, State Attorney General Sean Reyes, and State Auditor John Dougall announced their appointments to the State’s Personal Privacy Oversight Commission, which was created during the last legislative session.

The 12-member Commission is designed to provide guiding standards and best practices for the State of Utah’s privacy policies. It will recommend minimum privacy standards for governmental agencies and will collaborate with the Government Operations Privacy Officer and the State Privacy Officer. How many states have a Government Operations Privacy Officer and a State Privacy Officer? Nirvana. And did I mention the majestic mountains?

The Utah legislature has the privacy of its residents top of mind. To have two dedicated individuals, as well as a 12-member Personal Privacy Oversight Commission, all working on privacy issues is impressive. We look forward to seeing what governmental policies and protections come out of Utah in the near future.

Photo of Linn Foster Freedman Linn Foster Freedman

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her…

Linn Freedman practices in data privacy and security law, cybersecurity, and complex litigation. She is a member of the Business Litigation Group and the Financial Services Cyber-Compliance Team, and chairs the firm’s Data Privacy and Security and Artificial Intelligence Teams. Linn focuses her practice on compliance with all state and federal privacy and security laws and regulations. She counsels a range of public and private clients from industries such as construction, education, health care, insurance, manufacturing, real estate, utilities and critical infrastructure, marine and charitable organizations, on state and federal data privacy and security investigations, as well as emergency data breach response and mitigation. Linn is an Adjunct Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity at Brown University and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Roger Williams University School of Law.  Prior to joining the firm, Linn served as assistant attorney general and deputy chief of the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office for the State of Rhode Island. She earned her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law and her B.A., with honors, in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Read her full rc.com bio here.