<html> <head> <title>Governor's Message for House Bill 2860</title> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff"> <!--#include virtual="/misc/header.html" --><p> May 15, 1998 <p> <i> Message to the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas: </i><p> Pursuant to Article 2, Section 14 of the Constitution of the State of Kansas, I am vetoing Senate Substitute for House Bill Number 2860. <p> The Senate Substitute for House Bill 2860 was passed by the Legislature to reverse an interpretation by the Attorney General related to the Kansas Open Meetings Act. The Act already addresses situations in which a series of meetings occur regarding a single business matter. A series of meetings must be open to the public in situations where: (1) each individual meeting involves less than the number of people required for the organization to conduct business; and (2) the collective total of participants in a series of meetings is equal to or greater than the number of people required for the organization to conduct business. In matters of public business, the public has a right to be present during the decision-making process. Therefore, I am vetoing Senate Substitute for House Bill 2860. I understand the confusion resulting from the recent opinion. I will work with the Attorney General to achieve clarification on the impart of the opinion. If legislation is necessary next session to further clarify the intent of the Kansas Open Meetings Act, I would encourage that it be accomplished in a thoughtful process which included input from all affected parties. <p> <table width="90%"> <tr><td width="100%" align=right> ______________<br> BILL GRAVES <br> Governor </table> <p> An Act concerning the open meetings law; amending K.S.A. 75-4317a and repealing the existing section.