Public Information Requests
Kansas law
What is public and what is not?
Submitting a request
If you are a member and have questions about your own account, please
contact our
InfoLine.
The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System provides three statewide defined-benefit retirement plans for state and local public employees:
- Kansas Public Employees Retirement System
- Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System
- Kansas Retirement System for Judges
The Retirement System keeps extensive records for all of these plans.
Kansas law
The Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215 et. seq.) requires that State
of Kansas “public records shall be open for inspection by any person
unless otherwise provided by this act.” The Act also says that every
Kansas public agency that maintains public records will designate a local
freedom of information officer to:
- provide educational materials about the Open Records Act
- help resolve disputes related to the Act
- respond to inquiries related to the Act
What is public and what is not?
According to State law, some Retirement System records are open to the
public while others are not. The Open Records Act says that records kept
by a public agency, such as KPERS, generally are considered open to the
public unless otherwise specified by law.
State law prohibits the Retirement System from releasing information about individual members unless the member gives written permission. However, the Retirement System may release member account information to employers and state and federal agencies, when the System’s Board of Trustees determines that it is necessary. The release of other information, such as correspondence between the System and an individual, may be somewhat limited by the Open Records Act.
Submitting a request
You may request access to certain Retirement System records and documents.
Your request for public information needs to be in writing. Written requests
need to include your name and full address, as well as information to
identify the requested records and determine your right to access. For
example, you might provide a specific title and date for a report.
When KPERS receives your request, we will provide the information within three business days. If access to the requested records is not granted immediately, we will provide an explanation and let you know when and where the information will be available. If your request for access is denied, KPERS will provide a written statement of reasons, if requested.
According to Kansas law, KPERS may charge fees for providing certain records. We will let you know in advance about any fees. For more information or to request copies of public records, please contact Laurie McKinnon, KPERS Freedom of Information Officer.
- lmckinnon@kpers.org
- toll-free, 1-888-275-5737
- in Topeka, 296-6166
- 611 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66603-3869
If you are a member and have questions about your own account, please contact our InfoLine.