Utah State Sen. Lincoln Fillmore received the Friend of Transparency Award from NoGovInternet in late April. This was in recognition of his leadership in passing SB 165 bill which aims to protect taxpayers with further transparency in government. 

“Thank you Sen. Fillmore for bringing much needed transparency and accountability with the passage of SB 165. Thanks to his efforts, taxpayers will have a stronger voice and better oversight when it comes to major public projects,” wrote Greg Hughes in a statement, spokesman for NoGovInternet. 

The Friend of Transparency Award was created by NoGovInternet and the Utah Taxpayers Association in March 2025. It is aimed at honoring elected officials who demonstrate a strong commitment to public accountability, open processes and taxpayer protection.

Fillmore’s bill received strong support in the legislature, updating an existing bill on communication to include broadband. The bill says if a city is considering installing its own broadband network using public funds, a public hearing dedicated to this topic must be held. It requires the commission of a feasibility study, and how much it would cost, what would the bond payment be and how many customers would you need to service that bond. The bill gives the people of that jurisdiction a chance to
speak on whether they want to commit taxpayer dollars to building broadband. 

Hughes said this legislation provides a clear window for how local governemnts prioritize and allocate public dollars.

The bill passed by a super majority of votes in the House. He said this is a bill for constituents that you serve and those public servants in getting together and sharing important information early on. With the update, the communications act it is now called The Municipal Broadband Service Amendments.

“Senator Fillmore put key provisions in state law to protect taxpayers and ensure that government is transparent and responsive to the people,” added Billy Hesterman, President of the Utah Taxpayers Association. “This is consistent with legislation he runs every year, and Utah is fortunate to have him serving in the state legislature.”

Fillmore wasn’t going to be able to make the meeting to received the award because he is a baseball coach for his son. They were humbled by him not being able to be present for the award, but they really wanted to give the award to him in person. As soon as his coaching was done, he went to the meeting in his uniform. 

“I love seeing a state senator in his baseball coach uniform for his kid,” Hughes said. “He’s a dad, senator, and a baseball coach. It was a great look instead of seeing some stuffy senator in a suit and a tie.”λ