Kansas Open Meetings Act
The Kansas Open Meetings Act legislates the methods by which public meetings are created. The law defines a government meeting as any gathering of the majority of a government body with the intention of discussing public business with the exemption of impeachment hearings and if exempted by other state or federal statutes.
Kansas Open Meetings Act KSA 75-4317 et seq.
Any violation of the Kansas Open Meetings Act may be prosecuted by the Kansas attorney general, a local district attorney or any interested individual. Fines can go up to $500 to be paid to the state general fund.
Closed: Attorney consultations; personnel matters; employer-employee negotiations; trade secrets; and acquisitions of real estate property.
Kansas Open Records Act
The Kansas Open Records Act is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of government bodies at all levels in Kansas. The act defines public records as any records that are created or kept in public agencies and that pertain to the workings of the government.
Anyone can request public documents and while the law does not require an explicit statement of purpose, departments are allowed to reject records claims if it places “an unreasonable burden” on the department or if the department feels it is designed to disrupt the flow of the workings of government. The Kansas Open Records Act does not permit the use of lists of names and addresses for commercial purposes outside of political and educational opportunities and the use of student lists by university sales offices. The act allows three days for a department to respond to a request.
Kansas Open Records Act KSA 45-215 et. seq.
Exempt: 42 exemptions, check code citation.
Kansas Attorney General Website on Open Government
Visit, Kansas Sample FOIA Request, to view a sample FOIA request for the state.