Session of 1999
         
HOUSE BILL No. 2173
         
By Representative Adkins
          
1-28
          
  9             AN  ACT enacting the Dwight David Eisenhower scholarship act.
10      
11       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
12             Section  1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the Dwight
13       David Eisenhower scholarship act. The legislature finds that the life and
14       accomplishments of Dwight David Eisenhower, whose childhood and for-
15       mative years were spent in Kansas, had and retain an aura of national and
16       international significance and reflect positively upon the state. Therefore,
17       it is the intention of this act to provide for a program under which the
18       state may award financial assistance in the form of scholarships to quali-
19       fied students as a means of commemorating the life and accomplishments
20       of Dwight David Eisenhower.
21             Sec.  2. As used in the Dwight David Eisenhower scholarship act:
22             (a) "Eisenhower scholarship" means an award of financial assistance
23       by this state to an Eisenhower scholar.
24             (b) "Eisenhower scholar" means a person who: (1) Is a Kansas resi-
25       dent; (2) has qualified as a finalist for a national merit scholarship; and
26       (3) is initially acceptable for entering a qualified institution or who has so
27       entered and is in good standing and making satisfactory progress. Eligi-
28       bility of a person for qualification as an Eisenhower scholar and the award
29       of an Eisenhower scholarship shall commence immediately upon gradu-
30       ation of the person from high school.
31             (c) "Qualified institution" means a state educational institution, a
32       community college, a technical college, an area vocational school or an
33       area vocational-technical school.
34             (d) "State board" means the state board of regents.
35             (e) "Semester" means one of two principal terms, when there are
36       only two principal terms in the academic year, whether or not there are
37       other shorter terms during the same academic year.
38             (f) "Program period" means the duration of the period of time, or
39       any division thereof, required for completion of a vocational or technical
40       education program which is given in a qualified institution.
41             Sec.  3. Within the limits of appropriations therefor, an Eisenhower
42       scholarship may be awarded to any qualified Eisenhower scholar enrolled
43       full time in a specified program at any qualified institution. Commencing

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  1       with the first semester after qualification, an Eisenhower scholar may be
  2       awarded an Eisenhower scholarship for not more than eight consecutive
  3       semesters of undergraduate study or the equivalent thereof. The state
  4       board shall determine the equivalent of a semester when any program
  5       period or all or part of the terms for which an Eisenhower scholar is
  6       awarded an Eisenhower scholarship are not semesters.
  7             Sec.  4. The amount of an Eisenhower scholarship awarded to an Ei-
  8       senhower scholar for the fall and spring semesters or other program per-
  9       iods shall be the amount of the scholar's tuition and required fees for the
10       period.
11             Sec.  5. (a) An Eisenhower scholarship may be paid annually or as
12       otherwise specified by the state board. Eisenhower scholarships shall be
13       paid upon certification by the qualified institution that the Eisenhower
14       scholar is enrolled and is qualified. Payments of Eisenhower scholarships
15       shall be made upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports pur-
16       suant to vouchers approved by the administrative officer of the state board
17       designated by the board. Payments of Eisenhower scholarships may be
18       made by the issuance of a single warrant to each qualified institution at
19       which an Eisenhower scholar is enrolled for the total amount of Eisen-
20       hower scholarships for all Eisenhower scholars enrolled at the institution.
21       The director of accounts and reports shall cause such warrant to be de-
22       livered to the qualified institution at which such scholar or scholars are
23       enrolled. Upon receipt of such warrant, the amount thereof shall be cred-
24       ited to the Eisenhower scholarship fund of the qualified institution and
25       allocated within the fund to the account of each Eisenhower scholar en-
26       rolled at that institution. The amount to be credited to the account of
27       each such scholar shall be specified by the state board.
28             (b) If an Eisenhower scholar discontinues attendance before the end
29       of any semester or other program period, after the qualified institution
30       has received payment under this section, the qualified institution shall
31       debit the account of the scholar by an amount equal to the entire amount
32       which such scholar would otherwise qualify to have refunded, not to ex-
33       ceed the amount credited to the account of the scholar under an Eisen-
34       hower scholarship for the semester or other program period and, if an
35       Eisenhower scholar has received payments under any federal program of
36       student assistance in the semester or other program period, less an
37       amount equal to the pro rata share of such entire amount which is attrib-
38       utable to the assistance received by the scholar under such federal pro-
39       gram or programs.
40             (c) All amounts debited by a qualified institution under subsection
41       (b) shall be reallocated within the Eisenhower scholarship fund of the
42       institution to the account of other Eisenhower scholars as specified by
43       the state board.

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  1             Sec.  6. The state board shall administer the Eisenhower scholarship
  2       program and shall:
  3             (a) Publicize Eisenhower scholarships and provide information re-
  4       garding application procedures;
  5             (b) designate and notify each Eisenhower scholar;
  6             (c) approve and award Eisenhower scholarships;
  7             (d) evaluate the Eisenhower scholarship program annually, and make
  8       a report thereon to the governor and the legislature;
  9             (e) require any qualified institution to promptly furnish any infor-
10       mation which the state board requests relating to administration or effect
11       of the Eisenhower scholarship program.
12             Sec.  7. Each applicant for an Eisenhower scholarship, in accordance
13       with rules and regulations of the state board, shall:
14             (a) Be responsible for submission to the state board of evidence of
15       qualification as a finalist for a national merit scholarship;
16             (b) complete and file an application for an Eisenhower scholarship;
17       and
18             (c) report promptly to the state board any information requested re-
19       lating to administration of the Eisenhower scholarship program.
20        Sec.  8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
21       publication in the statute book.