Brief ⁽¹⁾

HB 2299 amends the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) by clarifying that meetings of task forces, advisory committees, or subcommittees of advisory committees created by a Governor's Executive Order shall be open.

The bill would become effective upon its publication in the Kansas Register.

Background

The bill was sponsored by Representative Pottorff. She testified that the bill was a result of a closed meeting of the K-12 Education Financing for Results Task Force appointed by the Governor. She said that it appears the state law requiring open meetings of governmental bodies does not apply to task forces that are advisory boards with unpaid volunteers. A representative of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters testified in support of the bill.

The bill as it passed the House attempted to clarify that state advisory committee meetings or subcommittee meetings of advisory committees are subject to KOMA.

The bill defined advisory committee as any advisory committee, council, task force, or other advisory body of three members or more created by the Governor or the chief administrative officer of any state agency.

The bill also defined subordinate groups as any committee, subcommittee, council, or other entity which is created by a public body. The bill excludes meetings of staff of a body, agency, or subordinate group from the definition of subordinate group.

The House Committee amended the bill by defining "subordinate groups."

Proponents of the bill in the Senate Committee included the Kansas Association of Broadcasters and the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government.

A number of persons appeared in opposition to the bill in the Senate Committee including representatives of the Kansas Department of Revenue, the Kansas Department of Corrections, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and the Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority.

The fiscal note from the Division of the Budget indicates that the passage of HB 2299 would have no fiscal impact on state revenues.

The Senate Committee amended the bill to reflect an agreement reached between the sponsor of the bill and the Governor's Office.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext.cgi