TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback’s staff says he warned lawmakers not to violate the state’s open meetings law while attending dinners at Cedar Crest mansion.
Caleb Stegall, the governor’s counsel, said in a statement Tuesday that none of the private dinners attended by Republicans from 13 legislative committees violated the law. He said Brownback was careful to warn those attending the dinners that they could not discuss legislative business.
The open meetings law prohibits a voting majority of any government group from discussing business without giving the public notice and access to the meeting.
Stegall says once lawmakers were warned, the dinners become informational presentations, which don’t violate the law.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that some legislators who attended the dinners didn’t mention being warned about following the law.
