Committee hears bill to let certain retired public officials restrict home addresses from searchable public websites

Madam Chair opened a hearing on House Bill 24‑19, which would add retirees from listed public positions to an existing exception in the Kansas Open Records Act (CORA) allowing custodians to restrict searchable public website records that identify home addresses or homeownership.

Jason Thompson of the Revisor’s Office told the Committee the bill amends KSA 45‑221(a)(51) to permit "any person who retired from such a position" and is a KPERS member to request restriction of identifying information on public‑agency websites. Thompson said the bill preserves existing procedures: a request is filed with the record custodian, the agency has 10 business days to respond, and a restriction lasts up to five years before it may be renewed.

Representative (transcript: Norton/McDonoughton), the sponsor, and Ed Klumpf speaking for law‑enforcement associations said the change is primarily protective. Klumpf recounted doxxing and threat incidents against officers and urged support for an amendment that would broaden the language beyond KPERS so to cover retirees from agencies that do not participate in KPERS (for example, some Wichita employees or small agencies with separate plans).

Luis Solorio of the Office of the State Bank Commissioner testified neutral and asked the Committee to strike a reference to KSA 45‑20‑21 a54 because those exemptions were repealed and replaced by the Kansas Money Transmission Act effective Jan. 1, 2025; he recommended renumbering and technical cleanup to avoid conflict with the new statute.

Committee members pressed sponsors on scope and evidence: some asked whether the bill responds to documented attacks or is proactive, how voter‑file listings or county treasurer property pages would be affected, and whether the KPERS/CAPERS drafting choice unintentionally excludes some retirees. Thompson and proponents said the bill is meant to be a narrowly targeted protection and that the amendment would address coverage gaps.

No final action was taken; the committee received written proponent testimony (KBI, League of Kansas Municipalities, Kansas State Troopers Association) and closed the hearing. The sponsor signaled an amendment would be circulated before the work session to broaden the KPERS reference and address gaps.

Ending: The hearing closed with staff and lawmakers planning to consider the sponsor’s amendment and statutory cleanup language when the bill is worked in committee.