The Kansas abstractor statute specifically addresses access to the county records:

For the purpose of operating a licensee's business of abstracting and the compiling, posting and keeping up of abstract books necessary for the proper conduct of the business, the licensee shall have free access to the county records of the several county offices, under the direct supervision of the county officers having legal custody of the records and while using the county records the licensee shall be under the same obligations to protect and carefully keep and preserve the records as the several county officers who have legal custody thereof, and subject to the same penalties for a violation thereof as the officer would be.

Because the statute specifically allows access to the public records to licensed abstractors, I would assume that absent a license the recorder can limit access in some manner.  Though I do agree that the records are public and that seems like a difficult thing to do.

Best,
Robert A. Franco
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