SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2096
As Recommended by House Committee on
Judiciary

Brief*
HB 2096 would amend a Kansas Open Records Act
provision requiring public agencies to restrict certain persons’
identifying information from public access on a public website
that is searchable by a keyword search and identifies the
home address or home ownership of such persons, upon
request by such persons. Specifically, the bill would add
Kansas Department of Corrections employees, local
correctional officers, local detention officers, Judicial Branch
employees, presiding officers who conduct hearings pursuant
to the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act, members of the
State Board of Tax Appeals, administrative law judges who
conduct hearings pursuant to the Workers’ Compensation
Act, administrative law judges employed by the Office of
Administrative Hearings, members of the Workers’
Compensation Appeals Board, and municipal court
employees to the list of persons whose identifying information
may be so restricted.
The bill also would make technical changes to
consolidate similar provisions and ensure consistency in
statutory references and phrasing.

Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Judiciary at the request of Representative Patton on behalf of
the Kansas Sheriffs Association.
____________________
*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.kslegislature.org
House Committee on Judiciary
In the House Committee hearing on January 27, 2021,
representatives of the Kansas Bar Association, Kansas
Department of Corrections, Kansas Sheriffs Association, and
the League of Kansas Municipalities, testified as proponents
of the bill, stating it would increase the safety of persons in
the positions added by the bill. Representatives of the Kansas
State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services and the Office of
Judicial Administration provided written-only proponent
testimony. No other testimony was provided.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, the Judicial Branch, Office of
Administrative Hearings, Kansas Department of Corrections,
and Office of the Attorney General indicate enactment of the
bill would have no fiscal effect on their operations. The
League of Kansas Municipalities and Kansas Association of
Counties indicate enactment of the bill could require
additional staff time to carry out the bill’s provisions.
Kansas Open Records Act; exceptions; public employees; home address or
ownership


2- 2096


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 45-221