The Kentucky Attorney General issued the following open records decisions last week:
1. 25-ORD-052 (In re: Ashley Gruner/Northern Kentucky University)
Summary: Northern Kentucky University violated the Open Records Act when it did not grant or deny the Appellant’s request within five business days. The University also violated the Act, within the meaning of KRS 61.880(4), when it required a request to be resubmitted using a specific form.
2. 25-ORD-053 (In re: Holly Harrison-Hawkins/Lexington Police Department)
Summary: The Lexington Police Department violated the Open Records Act when its initial response failed to properly invoke KRS 61.878(1)(h) to withhold records. However, on appeal, the Department has demonstrated that it properly withheld records under that exemption.
3. 25-ORD-054 (In re: Jeffrey Gegler/Kentucky State Police)
Summary: The Kentucky State Police did not violate the Open Records Act when it denied a request for a copy of body-worn camera footage that depicts the interior of a hospital facility and footage of a deceased body, and which does not fall under any exceptions in KRS 61.168(5).
Amye Bensenhaver is a retired assistant attorney general who, for twenty-five years, specialized in Kentucky’s open records and meetings laws. She is the co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
Mon, March 3, 2025
Commentary
Amye Bensenhaver
Kentucky Open Government Coalition
The Kentucky Attorney General issued the following open records decisions last week:
1. 25-ORD-052 (In re: Ashley Gruner/Northern Kentucky University)
Summary: Northern Kentucky University violated the Open Records Act when it did not grant or deny the Appellant’s request within five business days. The University also violated the Act, within the meaning of KRS 61.880(4), when it required a request to be resubmitted using a specific form.
https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2025/25-ORD-052.pdf
2. 25-ORD-053 (In re: Holly Harrison-Hawkins/Lexington Police Department)
Summary: The Lexington Police Department violated the Open Records Act when its initial response failed to properly invoke KRS 61.878(1)(h) to withhold records. However, on appeal, the Department has demonstrated that it properly withheld records under that exemption.
https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2025/25-ORD-053.pdf
3. 25-ORD-054 (In re: Jeffrey Gegler/Kentucky State Police)
Summary: The Kentucky State Police did not violate the Open Records Act when it denied a request for a copy of body-worn camera footage that depicts the interior of a hospital facility and footage of a deceased body, and which does not fall under any exceptions in KRS 61.168(5).
https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/orom/2025/25-ORD-054.pdf
Republished from Kentucky Open Government Coalition under CC-BY-SA 4.0
https://kyopengov.org/blog/kentucky-attorney-generals-open-records-decisions-issued-last-week-55
Amye Bensenhaver
Amye Bensenhaver is a retired assistant attorney general who, for twenty-five years, specialized in Kentucky’s open records and meetings laws. She is the co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.