The Kansas Attorney General's Office fines the City of Haysville for violating the Kansas Open Records Act.

The State AG's Office investigated the Haysville City Council after a citizen requested copies of a set of photographs and city employees declined to release them. The photos were then used in court as part of a jury trial. The attorney general's office determined that a $250 fine was appropriate to remind city officials of their obligations under the Kansas Open Records Act.

Known as KORA, the Kansas Open Records Act ensures the public has access to most records maintained by government agencies in the state. Signed into law in 1984, KORA promotes transparency by allowing individuals to request and obtain public records unless those records are specifically exempt for privacy, security, or legal reasons. A new state statute also details that any fees for such records must be tied to the actual cost of meeting the request.