Sen. Deidre Henderson named transparency board chair in absentia

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Wednesday was supposed to be Sen. Deidre Henderson's first meeting with the Utah Transparency Advisory Board.

But Henderson, a Spanish Fork Republican who is taking the place of Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, wasn't there. Instead, she was attending a meeting of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators in Philadelphia.

But her new board colleagues came up with a suitable punishment: They unanimously elected her as the board's new chair, a post also previously held by Niederhauser.

"Pick on the person who isn't there," Henderson tweeted after learning about her appointment.

Henderson sponsored SB283 during this year's legislative session which expanded the board's duties to provide access to more than just financial information through the state's transparency website. Her bill also expands the board's membership, including adding two public seats to the board.