Kentucky FOIA Laws

Kentucky Open Meetings Act

The Kentucky Open Meetings Act legislates the method by which public meetings are conducted. Meetings are defined as all gatherings of a public agency of every kind, including video teleconferences and casual gatherings.

If violated, the Kentucky Open Meetings Act may void any actions taken at the meetings in question, award attorney fees and assess fines of up to $100 per violation.

Open Meetings Act Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 61.800 et seq.

Closed: Attorney consultations; personnel matters; employer-employee negotiations; trade secrets; and acquisitions of real estate property.

Kentucky Open Records Act

The Kentucky Open Records Act is a series of laws designed to guarantee that the public has access to public records of government bodies at all levels. A public record is defined as including, “all books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, recordings, software, or other documentation regardless of physical form or characteristics, which are prepared, owned, used, in the possession of or retained by a public agency.”

Anyone can request public records and while the law does not require an explicit statement of purpose, departments are allowed to reject records claims if it places “an unreasonable burden” on the department or if the department feels it is designed to disrupt the flow of the workings of government. The use of records which were declared for a commercial purpose are strictly forbidden. The Kentucky Open Records Act sets a three day limit on records requests but extensions are allowed in some cases.

Open Records Law Kentucky Revised Statute Chapter 61.870 et seq.

Exempt: 42 exemptions, check code citation; restriction of state employees to inspect personnel files prohibited.

Revised Statute 61.878 “Certain public records exempted from inspection except on order of court –“

Attorney General Opinions

Visit, Kentucky Sample FOIA Request, to view a sample FOIA request for the state.