The Kentucky Attorney General issued the following open records decisions last week:

1. 24-ORD-126 (In re: Michele Cecil/Hancock County Sheriff’s Office)

Summary: The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office violated the Open Records Act when it failed to issue a written response to a request to inspect records within five business days. The Sheriff’s Office also failed to meet its burden to support withholding the requested records under KRS 61.878(1)(h).

https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2024-OROM/2024/24-ORD-126.pdf

2. 24-ORD-127 (In re: Donald Phillips/Lee Adjustment Center)

Summary: The Lee Adjustment Center violated the Open Records Act when it denied a request for records without citing a specific exemption to justify its denial of the request. The Center did not violate the Act when it did not provide records that do not exist.

https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2024-OROM/2024/24-ORD-127.pdf

3. 24-ORD-128 (In re: Clarence Hixson/City of Thornhill)

Summary: Because the issues presented in this appeal are currently before the Jefferson Circuit Court, this Office declines to render a decision on the merits of the appeal. However, the City of Thornhill violated the Open Records Act when it denied the request as unreasonably burdensome.

https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2024-OROM/2024/24-ORD-128.pdf

4. 24-ORD-129 (In re: Courtney Graham/Kentucky Board of Cosmetology)

Summary: The Kentucky Board of Cosmetology violated the Open Records Act when it did not fulfill a request for records within five business days of receiving the request. The Board also subverted the Act, within the meaning of KRS 61.880(4), when it delayed the Appellant’s access to records beyond five business days from the agency’s receipt of the request.

https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2024-OROM/2024/24-ORD-129.pdf