Committee votes to recess into executive session to discuss Kansas State Fair cybersecurity; schedules agency budgets next week

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee voted to recess into a closed executive session to discuss security measures for the Kansas State Fair’s information systems, citing KSA 75-43-19. The chair moved for the recess, named specific justifications in statute, and the motion was seconded by Senator Reichman.

The chair said discussion of such security matters in an open meeting would jeopardize the systems. The committee agreed to a 30-minute closed session starting at 09:05 and the chair named individuals to be invited into the executive session, including Catherine Osterhaus and the State Fair executive director, Brian; John Godfrey was added to the invitee list when the meeting returned to open session.

The motion to recess was approved by voice vote; the chair called for ayes, heard none opposed, and declared the motion carried. The chair then temporarily turned off microphones while the committee met in executive session.

After returning to open session, the chair reported that there was no further business and reminded members that next week the committee will hear budgets for five agencies: the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas State Fair, Kansas Water Office, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Division of Environment), and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The chair urged members to request fiscal writeups from legislative research in advance and noted the chair must report out to the full Ways and Means Committee by the 27th.

No substantive details about the content of the closed session discussion were disclosed in the public record during this meeting; the transcript records only the motion, the justification under statute, invitee names, the voice vote, and scheduling remarks.