Reps. John Rubin, left, R-Shawnee, and John Wilson, D-Lawrence, are the first two lawmakers to sign a transparency

Kansas lawmakers are pledging support of legislation that seeks to make state government more transparent.

Rep. John Rubin, R-Shawnee, and Rep. John Wilson, D-Lawrence, signed a pledge to support these efforts.

The pledge was drafted by Open Kansas, a nonprofit that supports government transparency. The organization says Kansas was among 11 states to receive a failing grade when the Center for Public Integrity rated state transparency last year.

The Wichita Eagle reports that one of the Senate bills would address a loophole in the state’s records law that allows officials to conduct public business on private email.

The bill, recommended by the Kansas Judicial Council, says any record made by an officer or employee of a public agency having to do with state business would be considered public record, no matter the characteristics, form or location.

Another would change the Open Meetings Act so public bodies have to disclose more information when they go into closed sessions.

“It’s not enough to say personnel matters. You would have to say something like ‘unauthorized use of a credit card,'” said Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, the bill’s sponsor. “What we really want is for the public to know some idea of what’s being discussed.”

The Senate bills will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

A House bill introduced by Rep. Blake Carpenter, R-Derby, and Rep. John Whitmer, R-Wichita, Thursday would enable live audio streaming of committee hearings.

“This bill represents creative problem-solving to find a new and workable solution that will get the job done and bring committee hearings to anyone who wants to listen in,” Carpenter said in a news release.

The technology would be paid for by the Information Network of Kansas, a state board that writes grants for greater citizen access to local and state government information.