NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's comptroller has selected Maria Bush as the state's new open records counsel.

Comptroller Jason Mumpower's office on Monday announced the selection of the former associate general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.

Bush previously was a law clerk with Taylor, Pigue, Marchetti & Blair. Bush is a graduate of Aquinas College and the Belmont University College of Law.

Bush replaces Lee Pope, who had been Tennessee's open records counsel since 2017. Last month, Pope left the job in order to pursue a career in private practice.

In 2008, then-Gov. Phil Bredesen pushed for the creation of the Office of Open Records Counsel to answer questions about the state's public records law and issue informal advisory opinions. It receives inquiries from government entities, citizens and journalists.