Open government a neccesity
By STEVE SIX
Kansas Attorney General
Sunshine Week is the time we celebrate our rights as citizens to examine and scrutinize our government. This week I encourage Kansans to learn more about their rights and their government.
In Kansas, we take great pride in two laws that guarantee our citizens access to government records and public meetings. The Kansas Open Records Act and the Kansas Open Meetings Act ensure that our government is open and accessible to all citizens. Our open government laws provide individuals the right to inspect public records and to gain access to meetings where public business is conducted.
These laws allow us to hold our elected officials accountable. We can review their decisions, examine documents, inspect government spending, and learn more about how our government functions.
We expect elected and appointed officials to conduct the public's business in an open and honest manner. It is the job of my office to enforce these laws, as well as educate officials about the standards expected of them.
This year, I worked with the Kansas Press Association and the Dole Institute to produce an educational video on these two important laws. We hope that by providing this additional educational resource, officials will better adhere to our open records and meetings laws and citizens will better know their rights. The video will be available soon.
I believe the more we understand these laws and our rights as citizens, the more likely we will become active civic participants in our state's government. In order to encourage transparency, my office will continue to investigate violations of these laws and provide education to the public on their rights.
The Kansas Attorney General's Office stands ready to enforce your right as a resident of Kansas to participate in your own governance. To learn more about Kansas open government laws, visit: www.ksag.org.
