Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver spent 25 years as an assistant attorney general in Frankfort and is an expert on open records and open meetings. Now out of state government, she writes about these issues. Bensenhaver is a co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition with Jennifer P. Brown, who is the editor of Hoptown Chronicle.

Now that’s rich: UK administration chides defunct University Senate on access to public records

"A 'one size fits all' approach to open government law can yield unexpected and unwelcome outcomes for public servants wrestling with the tension created by statutory duty, on the one hand, and fear of retaliation in the workplace, on the other," writes Amye Bensenhaver.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: Some state lawmakers don’t want you to know about the potential cost of laws they pass

A select handful of Kentucky’s most prominent state legislators are able to secret away “confidential” fiscal notes from the public and most other lawmakers, writes open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: WKU open meetings controversy easily resolved — read statute

Courts do not, in general, indicate in advance how they will rule on a issue not yet before them. Nor should the Kentucky Attorney General, writes retired Kentucky assistant attorney general Amye Bensenhaver.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Commentary: Ky. House has ‘anemic debate’ before amending open records law

Open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver observes lawmakers took just "nine minutes to upend decades of legal interpretation to the obvious detriment of the public's right to know."

By Amye Bensenhaver

Commentary: Open government under threat during Sunshine Week

Open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver outlines risks posed to records law in Kentucky General Assembly.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: Praise for citizen activists who challenged open records bill

Open government advocate points to influence of those who sounded the alarm about House Bill 509.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: Legislation would radically alter definition of a public record

Open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver warns that HB 509, amending the Kentucky Open Records Law, would "provide a statutorily approved cloaking device."

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: League study shows how citizens can counter legislative secrecy

Now is the time for Kentuckians to demand transparency and accountability from their legislative servants, writes open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Amye Bensenhaver: Appellate court ‘got it right’ on text and email public records

Bensenhaver warns that allies of all political stripes must now guard against legislative attempts to undermine open government laws.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Kentucky courts navigating open meetings questions raised by pandemic mask mandate

The open meetings law suffered in the chaos of the pandemic, writes retired Kentucky assistant attorney general Amye Bensenhaver.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Opinion: Independence Day behind us, let us renew efforts to demand Freedom of Information

Kentucky open government advocate Amye Bensenhaver warns the state's sunshine laws face challenges in the legislature.

By Amye Bensenhaver

Opinion: A cautionary tale in AG Cameron’s disregard for open meetings law precedent

Open government advocate Amye Bensenshaver observes that a circuit court judge rejected Cameron's disregard for over four decades of case law and attorney general decisions.

By Amye Bensenhaver