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2019 Statute



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45-217. Definitions. As used in the open records act, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Business day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or day designated as a holiday by the congress of the United States, by the legislature or governor of this state or by the respective political subdivision of this state.

(b) "Clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy" means revealing information that would be highly offensive to a reasonable person, including information that may pose a risk to a person or property and is not of legitimate concern to the public.

(c) "Criminal investigation records" means: (1) Every audio or video recording made and retained by law enforcement using a body camera or vehicle camera as defined by K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 45-254, and amendments thereto; and (2) records of an investigatory agency or criminal justice agency as defined by K.S.A. 22-4701, and amendments thereto, compiled in the process of preventing, detecting or investigating violations of criminal law, but does not include police blotter entries, court records, rosters of inmates of jails or other correctional or detention facilities or records pertaining to violations of any traffic law other than vehicular homicide as defined by K.S.A. 21-3405, prior to its repeal, or K.S.A. 2019 Supp. 21-5406, and amendments thereto.

(d) "Custodian" means the official custodian or any person designated by the official custodian to carry out the duties of custodian of this act.

(e) "Official custodian" means any officer or employee of a public agency who is responsible for the maintenance of public records, regardless of whether such records are in the officer's or employee's actual personal custody and control.

(f) (1) "Public agency" means the state or any political or taxing subdivision of the state or any office, agency or instrumentality thereof, or any other entity receiving or expending and supported in whole or in part by the public funds appropriated by the state or by public funds of any political or taxing subdivision of the state.

(2) "Public agency" shall not include:

(A) Any entity solely by reason of payment from public funds for property, goods or services of such entity; or (B) any municipal judge, judge of the district court, judge of the court of appeals or justice of the supreme court.

(g) (1) "Public record" means any recorded information, regardless of form, characteristics or location, which is made, maintained or kept by or is in the possession of:

(A) Any public agency; or

(B) any officer or employee of a public agency pursuant to the officer's or employee's official duties and which is related to the functions, activities, programs or operations of any public agency.

(2) "Public record" shall include, but not be limited to, an agreement in settlement of litigation involving the Kansas public employees retirement system and the investment of moneys of the fund.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (g)(1), "public record" shall not include:

(A) Records which are owned by a private person or entity and are not related to functions, activities, programs or operations funded by public funds. As used in this subparagraph, "private person" shall not include an officer or employee of a public agency who is acting pursuant to the officer's or employee's official duties;

(B)  records which are made, maintained or kept by an individual who is a member of the legislature or of the governing body of any political or taxing subdivision of the state; or

(C) records of employers related to the employer's individually identifiable contributions made on behalf of employees for workers compensation, social security, unemployment insurance or retirement. The provisions of this subparagraph shall not apply to records of employers of lump-sum payments for contributions as described in this subparagraph paid for any group, division or section of an agency.

(h) "Undercover agent" means an employee of a public agency responsible for criminal law enforcement who is engaged in the detection or investigation of violations of criminal law in a capacity where such employee's identity or employment by the public agency is secret.

History: L. 1984, ch. 187, § 3; L. 1992, ch. 321, § 22; L. 1994, ch. 293, § 4; L. 2005, ch. 126, § 7; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 191; L. 2016, ch. 82, § 10; July 1.



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