Attorney General Releases Updated Open Records Information

As KLC previously reported, House Bill 312, which significantly amends the Kentucky Open Records Act, took effect on June 29, 2021. In compliance with the directives in House Bill 312, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed emergency administrative regulations on the effective date that adopt a standardized open request form for use by public agencies.

Public agencies cannot require citizens of the commonwealth requesting public records to use the form to submit requests; instead, public agencies must accept requests submitted in any form if they contain the following information:

• The requesting party’s name, address, and email address (if copies are requested); 
• Precise identification of records to be inspected; 
• A statement indicating whether the records will be used for a commercial purpose; 
• A statement that the requesting party is a resident of the commonwealth pursuant to KRS 61.870(10); 
• Explanation of how the requesting party qualifies as a resident of the commonwealth pursuant to KRS 61.870(10); and 
• Signature and date.

Additionally, the Office of the Attorney General updated The Kentucky Open Records and Open Meetings Acts: A Guide for the Public and Public Agencies. KLC will provide more information regarding this publication in a subsequent article.

You can access the Attorney General’s Request to Inspect Public Records form here.