Attorney General Derek Schmidt is offering a free training session on the Kansas Open Records and Open Meetings Act next week.

The session is the result of a new law passed by the Kansas Legislature earlier this year that requires the attorney general to step up enforcement of open government law violations, a news release from the attorney general’s office said.

In addition, the new law requires the attorney general to provide and coordinate training on open records and meetings laws.

The attorney general’s office and the Kansas Sunshine Coalition will also hold several training sessions over this fiscal year that ends June 20, 2016.

Schmidt encouraged elected officials, public employees and members of the media and the general public to attend the training session.

“Many violations of the law are unintentional and can be avoided through proper training,” Schmidt said in the news release.

The training session is Sept. 1, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Memorial Hall Auditorium, 120 S.W. 10th Ave., Topeka. Registration is available on the attorney general’s website at www.ag.ks.gov or by calling 785-296-2215.

Attorneys in Schmidt’s office who specialize in open government laws will conduct the training session. Panelists will include Kansas Sunshine Coalition members, local government officials and a media representative, the release said.