Volume 43 - Issue 3 - January 18, 2024

State of Kansas

Board of Regents

Notice of Hearing on Proposed Administrative Regulations

The Kansas Board of Regents will conduct a public hearing to consider proposed new regulations K.A.R. 88-9b-1, 88-9b-2, 88-9b-3, 88-9b-4, 88-9b-5, and 88-9b-6. The hearing will be held at 10:00 a.m. March 19, 2024, in the Kansas Board of Regents Board Room, 1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 520, Topeka, KS 66612.

This 60-day notice of the public hearing shall constitute a public comment period for receiving written public comments on the proposed new regulations. All interested parties may submit comments prior to the hearing to Gage Rohlf at the Kansas Board of Regents at the address above, by phone at 785-430-4236, or by email to grohlf@ksbor.org. All interested parties will be given a reasonable opportunity to present their views orally on the proposed regulations during the hearing. To provide all parties with an opportunity to present their views, it may be necessary to request each participant limit any oral presentation to five minutes.

Any individual with a disability may request accommodation to participate in the public hearing and may request the proposed regulations and economic impact statement in an accessible format. Requests for accommodation to participate in the hearing should be made at least five working days in advance of the hearing by contacting Gage Rohlf using the contact information listed above. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may contact the Kansas Relay Center at 800-766-3777 for communication accommodations.

Copies of the proposed regulations and the economic impact statement may be found at http://www.kansasregents.org/about/rules-regulations or by contacting Gage Rohlf.

A summary of the proposed regulations and the economic impact statement of the regulations follows:

The 2023 Legislature established the Adult Learner Grant Program for certain students enrolled in eligible bachelor’s degree programs at qualifying postsecondary educational institutions. The legislation requires, with certain exceptions, that each student receiving a grant agree to reside and work in Kansas for two years following completion of their grant-funded program.

These regulations: (1) provide definitions of key terms used in the regulations and statutes; (2) set forth the process to apply for a grant and appeal a denial or revocation of a grant; (3) set forth the terms to be included in a grant agreement and the requirements for successful completion of, postponement of, or release from the service obligation; and (4) establish the process for repayment of any grant when the service or other requirements are not met or forgiven.

There is no anticipated economic impact on specific businesses, sectors, public utility ratepayers, or local governments. Neither the act nor the regulations directly affect those entities.

Students who qualify for grants under this program and who successfully complete their grant-funded programs and two-year service requirements will benefit from the grant authorized by the Act. Students who are unable to complete or be excused from their service obligations will be required to repay grant funds. The higher education institutions that grant recipients attend will award the grants and be reimbursed by funds appropriated by the Legislature for this purpose. Individuals affected by the regulations will benefit financially from receiving grants, as will the institutions attended by the grant recipients. Kansas businesses will benefit to the extent additional trained individuals remain in Kansas communities to work after completion of their programs. The regulations themselves will have no direct economic effect, as they only stipulate how the Board of Regents and the participating institutions will implement the program.

There will be no direct economic impact on other public agencies or private businesses as a result of these regulations. The regulations will neither enhance nor restrict business activities and growth, other than as discussed above.

Blake Flanders
President and CEO
Board of Regents

Doc. No. 051794