What We're About

The Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government believes the most responsive and efficient government is accessible and open. Only through full and complete access to government records, meetings and public officials can citizens make intelligent, informed decisions about the direction of their government and the people they elect.

The main purpose of the Kansas Sunshine Coalition is to enhance awareness of open government in Kansas. Our members help keep the public informed of the abuses of open government and hold elected officials accountable for those actions that ignore the public's legal right to truly public meetings and access to government records.

The coalition is involved in educational and informational programs and activities that inform citizens, public officials and the media about legal access to government records and meetings in Kansas. It works to strengthen these laws, to monitor legislative activities related to open government and to follow the application of these laws at state, county and local levels. It pushes to strengthen existing open records and open meetings laws. It actively monitors legislative attempts to weaken citizen access to government.

The Kansas Sunshine Coalition - A Brief History

Executive Director

Randy Brown
Senior Fellow - Elliott School of Communication
Wichita State University

Board of Directors

Doug Anstaett, secretary
Executive Director - Kansas Press Association

Tim Brown
Via Christi Foundation, Wichita

Dan Close
Associate Professor - Elliott School of Communication
Wichita State University

Kent Cornish
President - Kansas Association of Broadcasters

Nickie Flynn
Eastborough, KS

Deb Gruver
Reporter - The Wichita Eagle, Wichita

Mike Kautsch
Professor - University of Kansas Law School

Ron Keefover, president
Office of Judicial Administration
Kansas Supreme Court

Mike Merriam
Attorney - Topeka

Tomari Quinn
Editor and Director of Audience Development
Topeka Capital-Journal

Eugene Williams
General Manager - KTWU, Topeka