Kent W. Bishop, rules analyst in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (GOPB), has announced his retirement. Kent will be leaving state employment with over 25 years of service. His last day at work will be March 31.

On March 22, 1988, Governor Norman H. Bangerter issued an executive order requiring each department to conduct an internal prefiling review of its administrative rules. That order also required GOPB to conduct a post-filing review of all administrative rules. This task fell to Kent and his former colleague Peter Groesbeck. On January 1, 1997, Pete took a position with the Industrial Commission (now the Labor Commission), leaving Kent with the responsibility to review all state administrative rules.

Since 1988, the Division estimates that Kent has reviewed more than 14,500 rule filings amounting to over 24,340 pages of published administrative rule changes (set in 9 point type), and countless prefiling administrative rule drafts. Kent has also been a liaison between state agencies and the Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee.

Mr. Hunter Finch, currently a budget analyst in GOPB, has been appointed to assume Kent’s rules review responsibilities. Hunter worked with the Department of Corrections for over twenty years. After retiring, he returned to state government in 2003 as a budget analyst for GOPBwhere he worked on the public safety and elected officials budgets. Hunter has bachelor of science degrees in mass communications/public relations, psychology/research and statistics, sociology/criminology; master’s degrees in social work/clinical social work, and education/educational psychology. Additionally, he is a certified criminologist, a certified law enforcement officer, and a licensed clinical social worker.

The Division gratefully acknowledges the contributions Kent has made improving administrative rules and the rulemaking process over the past 17 years. The Division also welcomes Hunter to the rulemaking process.