Topeka ? Although the state Board of Regents has taken no official position on a House-passed bill strengthening the Kansas Open Records Act, the panel’s chief attorney had plenty to say about the measure during a Senate committee hearing Thursday.

Mary Prewitt, the regents’ general counsel, said she wants Judiciary Committee members to know of concerns expressed by some state university officials.

Her comments focused on language which clarifies a provision requiring government agencies to provide access to records relating to employees’ compensation. Current law says salaries are public information. The bill would add records about actual compensation, employment contracts or employment agreements.

Prewitt said university officials worry the language would require them to disclose disciplinary records or agreements on performance standards for individual employees.

She said the bill would require agencies to disclose the compensation employees receive from private sources with “little public policy justification.”

The measure passed the House last month on a 123-2 vote and has support from the Kansas Press Association, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, representatives of local governments, school boards, teachers and Attorney General Phill Kline.

“All sides took a reasonable, balanced approach on these issues,” Wichita Eagle Editor Rick Thames said in his testimony.

Chairman John Vratil, R-Leawood, said the committee would debate the measure Friday.

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Open records is HB 2889.

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Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org