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K-State’s Response To Open Records Request Shows Difficulty

First Amendment expert Mike Merriam says K-State's heavily redacted 11-page response to a newspaper's open records request highlights shortcomings in the state's open records law.

The Topeka Capital-Journal filed a request seeking more information on the process that went into crafting Governor Sam Brownback's budget proposal. The newspaper asked for all emails between K-State's Institute for Commercialization President Kent Glasscock and state budget director Shawn Sullivan from November through late January.

Kansas State responded with 11 pages, though most of the contents were blacked out. Topeka attorney Mike Merriam has seen similar instances involving heavy redactions, but questioned Kansas State's justification for them.

Merriam says challenging the redactions is difficult because the requesting party hasn't seen the documents and it's tough to argue they shouldn't be shielded.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.