FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Cabinet for Health and Family Services violated the state's Open Records Act when it failed to respond to a request for documents related to a SNAP account, according to a decision issued by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman.

In the decision issued February 10, 2026, the Attorney General found that Randy Skaggs' request for records was not answered within the required timeframe. Skaggs had requested access to emails and letters related to his benefits account spanning 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Skaggs submitted his request on December 5, 2025, but received no response. By January 7, 2026, when he had still not heard from the Cabinet, he appealed to the Attorney General's office, which enforces Kentucky's Open Records Act.

Under state law, public agencies must determine within five business days of receiving a request whether to comply and notify the requester of their decision in writing. The Cabinet failed to meet this deadline, the Attorney General found.

The Cabinet acknowledged the oversight in its response to the appeal. The agency explained that Skaggs' email was received at the local office in Grayson, Kentucky, then forwarded to the Cabinet's open records email inbox. However, the employee responsible for monitoring that inbox was on leave, and the email was missed. The Cabinet did eventually provide records to Skaggs via U.S. Postal Service, but only after the deadline had passed.

The decision means the Cabinet violated Kentucky's open records law. Either party may appeal the Attorney General's decision to circuit court within 30 days.