The Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), K.S.A. 45-215 et seq. allows for public inspection and copying of some records maintained by public agencies. Not all records are available for public inspection. Most records maintained by public agencies are open for public inspection and copying. Records commonly requested include, but are not limited to:

• Policies
• Minutes/Records of Open Meetings
• Salaries of public officials
• Agency budget documents

The Kansas Office of Veterans Services (“KOVS”) requires requests for access to or copies of records to be made in writing to adequately document the request and clarify exactly what records are being sought. All requests for records shall state the requester’s name, electronic mail or U.S. mailing address, and a contact phone number.

The requester shall provide detailed information about the records being requested to aid the staff in determining if such records exist and are possessed by the agency.  Requests for records not yet in existence, requests for documents to be created prospectively, or requests that require a new document to be created specifically in response to the request shall be declined.

Submit your record request in writing. You may use KOVS’ KORA Request Form; however, you are not required to do so. You will be asked to certify that you will not use the records for commercial purposes.

Send requests to:

Attn:  Custodian of Records
Email: KCVA.Webmaster@ks.gov
Fax: (785) 296-1462
Mail:  Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson Street, Room 504-N
Topeka, KS 66603

The KORA recognizes that certain records contain private or privileged information. The Act lists several exceptions, including:
• Personnel information of public employees
• Medical treatment records
• Records protected by attorney-client privilege
• Records closed by the rules of evidence
• Records containing personal information compiled for Census purposes
• Notes and preliminary drafts
• Criminal investigation records
 
A list of additional exemptions can be found in K.S.A. 45-221
 
The Kansas Office of Veterans Services may not release records maintained pursuant to Employment Security Law. Under Kansas law, these records are confidential and are not open to public inspection. K.S.A. 44-714(e). This means that the records we maintain regarding Unemployment Insurance Benefits and Wage Information provided by employers and employees are not public records. Employment and Training records also may not be opened.

If you are seeking records kept by another public agency, please contact that public agency.

8 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday - Friday, except official state holidays. Requests received after 5:00 p.m. will be logged and processed the next business day.

The Kansas Office of Veterans Services may charge reasonable fees, not exceeding actual cost, for access to records, copies of records and staff time for processing your request. Record requests that can be provided with less than one hour of staff time or fewer than 100 pages (pursuant to Executive Order 18-05) will be provided to Kansas residents at no charge.

Pursuant to K.S.A. 45-219, the following schedule of fees for access or copies of public records from the Kansas Office of Veterans Services is established.

Staff time will be charged per hour pursuant to K.S.A. 45-219(c)(3). This may include the time spent to access records maintained on computer facilities, review records to determine whether disclosure exceptions apply, and/or redact closed information. When the staff time needed to respond to a records request will exceed five hours or the estimated actual cost for staff time needed to fill the request exceeds $200.00, KOVS shall make reasonable efforts to contact the requester about mitigating costs to fill the request. The requester is not obligated to mitigate costs. If KOVS has made reasonable efforts to contact the requester about mitigating costs and the requester has failed to respond by the end of the third business day, the records request will be deemed to be withdrawn until a subsequent contact has been made by the requester. “Reasonable efforts to contact the requester” means contacting the requester through the means of communication that the requester provided to be used by KOVS to respond to the request.

Fees shall not exceed the actual cost of furnishing copies, including the cost of staff time required to make the information available, and shall be charged at the following rate:

• Copies of documents (includes actual copying time): $0.36 per one-sided page.
• Record Search (excluding actual copying time): No charge for first quarter hour; each additional quarter hour - $3.75 per quarter hour.

Fees shall not exceed the actual cost of furnishing copies, including the cost of staff time required to make the information available, and shall be charged at the following rate:

• Blank cassette (video or audio): Actual cost to agency
• Record search (excluding actual duplicating time): No charge for first quarter hour; each additional quarter hour - $3.75 per quarter hour
• Duplication: $5.00 per quarter hour

Fees shall include only the cost of any computer services, including staff time required, and shall be charged at the following rate:

• Computer Services (including access charges and line charges): actual cost to agency.
• Record Search (clerical): no charge for the first quarter hour; each additional quarter hour - $3.75 per quarter hour.

Consistent with the conclusions in Roe v. Phillips County Hospital, 317 Kan. 1, Syl. 4, 9, 522 P.3d 277 (2023), the record custodian will be the sole judge of the ability of the agency to comply with any record request for the records to be provided in electronic format or for records that must be produced in any special computer-generated format.

When copies of documents are requested to be transmitted via facsimile, in addition to the charges set forth above for copies of records, the following fees shall be charged for facsimile transmission of those copies:

• First Page (excluding cover sheet): $1.00
• Each Additional page: $0.50
• Transmission time (labor): $3.75 per quarter hour
• Transmission of copies by facsimile shall be limited to twenty (20) pages excluding cover page

Unless otherwise requested in writing, delivery of copies of documents shall be by United States mail, first class. There shall be no charge for the first $1.00 of postage. All postage in excess of $1.00 and/or charges for specialty mail or delivery shall be charged at the actual rate charged to the agency.

The Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), K.S.A. 45-215 et seq., allows a state agency to require advance payment for actual costs associated with producing records.

All charges are made in one quarter hour increments. If copies are requested, a written request shall be made, and payment shall be made in advance of production of said documents.

The agency will provide the requestor with an estimate of the fees before providing access to the records. The estimated fees MUST be paid BEFORE the agency processes the request or provides access to the requested records. While we will provide an accurate estimate of the fee, it is possible that the records may be produced for less than the estimated amount. If so, any overage will be refunded.

It is also possible that we will discover the estimated fee is low once the actual processing work is started. If we discover that the estimated fee is too low, we will promptly advise the requestor any correction to the fee, and request advance payment of any additional costs before continuing the work.

Payment may be made by check or money order payable to the Kansas Office of Veterans Services. Returned checks will incur an additional fee of $30.00.

Personnel responding to a request for copies or access shall fully document their computation for fees, and the same shall be made available to the Executive Director should the reasonableness of the fees be challenged.

The agency will act upon requests as soon as possible, with an acknowledgement of the request sent to the requester no later than the third business day following the receipt of the request. If it appears that additional time will be needed, fees will be assessed, or some of the records may be closed by law, then a written response will be provided as soon as the records have been located and reviewed.

Any person requesting records may appeal the reasonableness of the fees charged for providing access to or furnishing copies of such records to the Secretary of Administration, whose decision shall be final.

The Kansas Open Records Act, K.S.A. 45-215 et seq., allows a state agency to withhold certain records or portions of records from public disclosure. In cases where a records request includes records that contain confidential information, the KOVS will first redact the responsive records to ensure that no confidential information is released. Depending on the nature of the request, these redactions may require review from the KOVS’ attorney. If records are redacted, the KOVS will inform the person making the request of which records, or portions of records, have been redacted.