SALT LAKE CITY -- The national Society of Professional Journalists plans to present Utah Gov. Gary Herbert with a first-ever Black Hole award to highlight a new state law increasing fees for records request and making text messages private.
SPJ Freedom of Information Committee chief David Cuillier (COOL'-yer) says he'll try to present the award to Herbert on Wednesday.
Cuillier says the award is part of Sunshine Week. That's an annual initiative begun in 2002 to promote greater transparency in government.
Herbert signed House Bill 477 last week. It passed the Legislature less than a week after being introduced.
The law restricts access to most electronic communications by government officials and allows state agencies to charge higher costs to answer records requests.
Herbert's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
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