The commission shall maintain a record of its investigations, inquiries, and proceedings. All records, complaints, documents, reports filed with or submitted to or made by the commission, and all records and transcripts of any investigations, inquiries or hearings of the commission under this act shall be confidential and shall not be open to inspection by any individual other than a member of the commission, an employee of the commission, or a state officer or employee designated to assist the commission, except as otherwise specifically provided in this act. The commission may, by adoption of a resolution, authorize the release to the attorney general of any information, records, complaints, documents, reports, and transcripts in its possession material to any matter pending before the attorney general. In addition the commission shall notify the attorney general of any apparent violation of criminal law, other than laws administered by the commission, discovered during the course of any investigation conducted by the commission. All matters presented at a public hearing of the commission and all reports of the commission stating a final finding of fact pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 46-262 shall be public records and open to public inspection.

Violation of any provision of this section or the confidentiality provision of Kan. Stat. Ann. § 46-256 is a class B misdemeanor.