Session of 1998
                   
SENATE BILL No. 459
         
By Committee on Education
         
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            9             AN ACT concerning the regents supplemental grant program; affecting
10             eligibility requirements for participation; amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp.
11             74-32,120 and 74-32,124 and repealing the existing sections.
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13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 74-32,120 is hereby amended to read
15       as follows: 74-32,120. As used in this act: (a) ``Regents supplemental grant
16       program'' means a program under which the state, in recognition that the
17       provision of higher education for all residents of the state who have the
18       desire and ability to obtain such education is an important public purpose
19       and in response to the concern that many residents of the state are de-
20       terred by financial considerations from attending the state institutions of
21       higher education, provides assistance to students with financial need
22       through the award of regents supplemental grants.
23           (b) ``Regents supplemental grant'' means an award of financial assis-
24       tance under the regents supplemental grant program to an eligible re-
25       gents student.
26           (c) ``Financial need'' means the difference between a student's avail-
27       able financial resources and the student's total anticipated cost of atten-
28       dance at a certain state educational institution. A student's financial re-
29       sources shall be based upon the accepted criteria of a financial need
30       analysis agency selected by the board of regents. Financial need shall be
31       determined at least annually.
32           (d) ``Full-time, in-state student'' means a person who is or is consid-
33       ered a resident of Kansas and who is enrolled at a state educational in-
34       stitution in a course of study of at least 12 hours each semester or the
35       equivalent thereof. The board of regents shall determine the number of
36       hours for terms other than semesters to constitute the equivalent of 12
37       hours.
38           (e) ``Eligible regents student'' means a full-time, in-state student who
39       has established financial need and who is initially acceptable for entering
40       a state educational institution or who has so entered and is in good stand-
41       ing and making satisfactory progress toward graduation.
42           (f) ``State educational institution'' has the meaning ascribed thereto
43       in K.S.A. 76-711, and amendments thereto.

SB 459

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  1           (g) ``Board of regents'' means the state board of regents provided for
  2       in the constitution of this state and described in article 32 of chapter 74
  3       of Kansas Statutes Annotated.
  4           (h) ``Term'' means one of two or more divisions of an academic year
  5       of a state educational institution in which substantially all courses begin
  6       and end at substantially the same time, and during which instruction is
  7       regularly given to students.
  8           (i) ``Semester'' means one of two principal terms, when there are only
  9       two principal terms in the academic year, whether or not there are other
10       shorter terms during the same academic year.
11           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 74-32,124 is hereby amended to read as
12       follows: 74-32,124. (a) The board of regents shall administer the regents
13       supplemental grant program and shall:
14           (1) Provide information regarding application procedures;
15           (2) adopt rules and regulations for determining financial need and
16       cost of attendance at the state educational institutions, selecting financial
17       need analysis agencies, determining the average amount of tuition and
18       fees required of full-time, in-state students for enrollment at the state
19       educational institutions, determining residence, determining priority or
20       apportionment of regents supplemental grants and other matters neces-
21       sary for administration of the program;
22           (3) approve eligible regents students for the award of regents sup-
23       plemental grants; and
24           (4) evaluate the regents supplemental grant program annually, and
25       make a report thereon to the governor and legislature for the period.
26           (b) Rules and regulations adopted by the board of regents to deter-
27       mine residence for the purpose of the regents supplemental grant pro-
28       gram shall be consistent with rules and regulations adopted pursuant to
29       subsection (a) of K.S.A. 76-729, and amendments thereto. Persons meet-
30       ing any one or more of the qualifications of persons whom the board of
31       regents may authorize to pay an amount equal to resident fees for en-
32       rollment at the state educational institutions, as provided in subsection
33       (b) of K.S.A. 76-729, and amendments thereto, shall be considered resi-
34       dents of Kansas.
35           (c) The board of regents may provide for apportionment of regents
36       supplemental grants if appropriations therefor are insufficient to pay all
37       approved grants.
38           Sec. 3. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 74-32,120 and 74-32,124 are hereby re-
39       pealed.
40           Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
41       publication in the statute book.
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