As Amended by House Committee
Session of 2000
HOUSE BILL No. 2685
By Special Committee on Judiciary
1-20
10 AN ACT
concerning the Kansas fair credit reporting act; amending
11 K.S.A. 50-701, 50-702,
50-703, 50-704, 50-705, 50-706, 50-708, 50-
12 709, 50-710, 50-711,
50-714, 50-715, 50-716, 50-717, 50-718, 50-719,
13 50-720, 50-721 and
50-722 and repealing the existing sections.
14
15 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the
State of Kansas:
16 Section
1. K.S.A. 50-701 is hereby amended to read as follows: 50-
17 701. (a) The legislature of the state of
Kansas hereby finds and determines
18 that:
19 (1) The banking
system is dependent upon fair and accurate credit
20 reporting. Inaccurate credit reports
directly impair the efficiency of the
21 banking system, and unfair credit reporting
methods undermine the pub-
22 lic confidence which is essential to the
continued functioning of the bank-
23 ing system.
24 (2) An elaborate
mechanism has been developed for investigating and
25 evaluating the credit worthiness, credit
standing, credit capacity, char-
26 acter, and general reputation of
consumers.
27 (3) Consumer
reporting agencies have assumed a vital role in assem-
28 bling and evaluating consumer credit and
other information on
29 consumers.
30 (4) There is a
need to insure that consumer reporting agencies ex-
31 ercise their grave responsibilities with
fairness, impartiality, and a respect
32 for the consumer's right to privacy.
33 (b) It is the
purpose of K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
34 amendments thereto, to require that
consumer reporting agencies adopt
35 reasonable procedures for meeting the needs
of commerce for consumer
36 credit, personnel, insurance, and other
information in a manner which is
37 fair and equitable to the consumer, with
regard to the confidentiality,
38 accuracy, relevancy, and proper utilization
of such information in accord-
39 ance with the requirements of such sections
of this act.
40 (c) The
provisions of the fair credit reporting act, K.S.A. 50-701
et
41 seq., and amendments thereto, are not
intended to burden interstate com-
42 merce but are intended to insure
accurate and full disclosure of infor-
43 mation and to supplement the federal
fair credit reporting act, 15 U.S.C.
2
1 § 1681 et seq.
2 Sec.
2. K.S.A. 50-702 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-702.
3 The following words and
phrases when As used in K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-
4 722, inclusive, and amendments
thereto, shall have the meanings ascribed
5 to them in this
section.
6
(a) The term ``person'' means any individual, partnership,
corpora-
7 tion, trust, estate,
cooperative, association, government or governmental
8 subdivision or agency, or
other entity.
9
(b) The term: (a) ``Adverse action'' means a
denial or revocation of
10 credit, a change in the terms of an
existing credit arrangement, or a refusal
11 to grant credit in substantially the
amount or on substantially the terms
12 requested. The term ``adverse action''
includes: (1) A denial or cancellation
13 of, an increase in any charge for, or a
reduction or other adverse or
14 unfavorable change in the terms of
coverage or amount of, any insurance,
15 existing or applied for, in connection
with the underwriting of insurance;
16 (2) a denial
of employment or any other decision for employment
17 purposes that adversely affects any
current or prospective employee;
18 (3) a denial
or cancellation of, an increase in any charge for, or any
19 other adverse or unfavorable change in
the terms of, any license or benefit
20 described in subsection (a)(3)(D) of
K.S.A. 50-703, and amendments
21 thereto;
and
22 (4) an action
taken or determination that is: (A) Made in connection
23 with an application that was made by, or
a transaction that was initiated
24 by, any consumer, or in connection with
a review of an account pursuant
25 to subsection (a)(3)(F) of K.S.A.
50-703, and amendments thereto; and
26 (B) adverse to
the interests of the consumer.;
and
27 (5) the same
meaning as prescribed by 15 U.S.C. §
1691(d)(6).
28 The term ``adverse
action'' does not include a refusal to extend addi-
29 tional credit under an existing credit
arrangement where the applicant is
30 delinquent or otherwise in default, or
where such additional credit would
31 exceed a previously established credit
limit;
32 (b) ``child
support obligations'' means: (1) ``Overdue support'' which
33 has the meaning given to such term in
section 666(e) of title 42, Social
34 Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 666(e);
and
35 (2) ``state or
local child support enforcement agency'' which means a
36 state or local agency which administers
a state or local program for es-
37 tablishing and enforcing child support
obligations;
38
(c) ``consumer'' means an
individual.;
39 (c) The
term (d) ``consumer report'' means any
written, oral, or
40 other communication of any information by a
consumer reporting agency
41 bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness,
credit standing, credit capac-
42 ity, character, general reputation,
personal characteristics, or mode of
43 living which is used or expected to be used
or collected in whole or in
3
1 part for the purpose of serving as a
factor in establishing the consumer's
2 eligibility for credit or insurance
to be used primarily for personal, family,
3 or household purposes, or employment
purposes, or other purposes au-
4 thorized under K.S.A. 50-703, and
amendments thereto. The term does
5 not include: (1) Any report
containing information solely as to transactions
6 or experiences between the consumer
and the person making the report;
7 (2) any
communication of such information among persons related by
8 common ownership or affiliated by
corporate control;
9 (3) any
communication of other information among persons related
10 by common ownership or affiliated by
corporate control, if it is clearly
11 and conspicuously disclosed to the
consumer that the information may be
12 communicated among such persons and the
consumer is given the oppor-
13 tunity before the time that the
information is initially communicated, to
14 direct that such information not be
communicated among such persons;
15 (4) any
authorization or approval of a specific extension of credit di-
16 rectly or indirectly by the issuer of a
credit card or similar device;
17 or
(3) (5) any report in which a person who has
been requested by a
18 third party to make a specific extension of
credit directly or indirectly to
19 a consumer conveys that decision with
respect to such request, if the third
20 party advises the consumer of the name and
address of the person to
21 whom the request was made and such person
makes the disclosures to
22 the consumer required under K.S.A.
50-714., and amendments thereto;
23 or
24 (6) a
communication described in subsection
(n) (i);
25 (d) The
term ``investigative consumer report'' means a consumer
re-
26 port or portion thereof in which
information on a consumer's character,
27 general reputation, personal
characteristics, or mode of living is obtained
28 through personal interviews with
neighbors, friends, or associates of the
29 consumer reported on or with others
with whom the consumer is ac-
30 quainted or who may have knowledge
concerning any such items of in-
31 formation. However, such
information shall not include specific factual
32 information on a consumer's credit
record obtained directly from a cred-
33 itor of the consumer or from a
consumer reporting agency when such
34 information was obtained directly
from a creditor of the consumer or from
35 the consumer.
36 (e) The
term``consumer reporting agency'' means any person
which,
37 for monetary fees, dues, or on a
cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly
38 engages in whole or in part in the practice
of assembling or evaluating
39 consumer credit information or other
information on consumers for the
40 purpose of furnishing consumer reports to
third parties, and which uses
41 any means or facility of interstate
commerce for the purpose of preparing
42 or furnishing consumer
reports.;
43 (f) The
term ``file,'' when used in connection with information on
any
4
1 consumer, means all of the
information on that consumer recorded and
2 retained by a consumer
reporting agency regardless of how the infor-
3 mation is
stored.
4
(g) The term (f) ``consumer reporting agency
that compiles and
5 maintains files on consumers on a
nationwide basis'' means a consumer
6 reporting agency that regularly
engages in the practice of assembling or
7 evaluating, and maintaining, for
the purpose of furnishing consumer re-
8 ports to third parties bearing on
a consumer's credit worthiness, credit
9 standing, or credit capacity, each
of the following regarding consumers
10 residing nationwide: (1) Public record
information; and
11 (2) credit
account information from persons who furnish that infor-
12 mation regularly and in the ordinary
course of business;
13 (g) ``credit
or insurance transaction that is not initiated by the con-
14 sumer'' does not include the use of a
consumer report by a person with
15 which the consumer has an account or
insurance policy, for purposes of
16 (1) reviewing the account or insurance
policy; or
17 (2) collecting
the account;
18
(h) ``employment purposes'' when used in connection with a
con-
19 sumer report means a report used for the
purpose of evaluating a con-
20 sumer for employment, promotion,
reassignment or retention as an
21 employee.;
22 (h) The
term (i) ``excluded communications'' means
communica-
23 tion: (1) That, except for subsection
(d)(6), would be an investigative con-
24 sumer report;
25 (2) that is
made to a prospective employer for the purpose of procur-
26 ing an employee for the employer, or
procuring an opportunity for a
27 natural person to work for the
employer;
28 (3) that is
made by a person who regularly performs such
29 procurement;
30 (4) that is
not used by any person for any purpose other than a pur-
31 pose described in subsection (i)(2);
and
32 (5) with
respect to which: (A) The consumer who is the subject of
the
33 communication: (i) Consents orally or in
writing to the nature and scope
34 of the communication, before the
collection of any information for the
35 purpose of making the
communication;
36 (ii) consents
orally or in writing to the making of the communication
37 to a prospective employer, before the
making of the communication; and
38 (iii) in the
case of consent under subsection (i)(5)(A)(i) or (ii) given
39 orally, is provided written confirmation
of that consent by the person
40 making the communication, not later than
three business days after the
41 receipt of the consent by that
person;
42 (B) the person
who makes the communication does not, for the pur-
43 pose of making the communication, make
any inquiry that if made by a
5
1 prospective employer of the
consumer who is the subject of the commu-
2 nication would violate any
applicable federal or state equal employment
3 opportunity law or regulation;
and
4 (C) the
person who makes the communication: (i) Discloses in
writing
5 to the consumer who is the subject
of the communication, not later that
6 five business days after receiving
any request from the consumer for such
7 disclosure, the nature and
substance of all information in the consumer's
8 file at the time of the request,
except that the sources of any information
9 that is acquired solely for use in
making the communication and is actually
10 used for no other purpose, need not be
disclosed other than under appro-
11 priate discovery procedures in any court
of competent jurisdiction in
12 which an action is brought; and
13 (ii) notifies
the consumer who is the subject of the communication, in
14 writing, of the consumer's right to
request the information described in
15 subsection (i)(5)(C)(i);
16 (j) ``file,''
when used in connection with information on any consumer,
17 means all of the information on that
consumer recorded and retained by
18 a consumer reporting agency regardless
of how the information is stored;
19 (k) ``firm
offer of credit or insurance'' means any offer of credit or
20 insurance to a consumer that will be
honored if the consumer is deter-
21 mined, based on information in a
consumer report on the consumer, to
22 meet the specific criteria used to
select the consumer for the offer, except
23 that the offer may be further
conditioned on one or more of the following:
24 (1) The consumer being determined, based
on information in the con-
25 sumer's application for the credit or
insurance, to meet specific criteria
26 bearing on credit worthiness or
insurability, as applicable, that are estab-
27 lished: (A) Before selection of the
consumer for the offer; and
28 (B) for the
purpose of determining whether to extend credit or insur-
29 ance pursuant to the offer;
30
(2) verification: (A) That the consumer continues to meet the
specific
31 criteria used to select the consumer for
the offer, by using information in
32 a consumer report on the consumer,
information in the consumer's ap-
33 plication for the credit or insurance,
or other information bearing on the
34 credit worthiness or insurability of the
consumer; or
35 (B) of the
information in the consumer's application for the credit or
36 insurance, to determine that the
consumer meets the specific criteria bear-
37 ing on credit worthiness or
insurability; or
38 (3) the
consumer furnishing any collateral that is a requirement
for
39 the extension of the credit or insurance
that was: (A) Established before
40 selection of the consumer for the offer
of credit or insurance; and
41 (B) disclosed
to the consumer in the offer of credit or insurance;
42
(l) ``investigative consumer report'' means a consumer report
or por-
43 tion thereof in which information on a
consumer's character, general rep-
6
1 utation, personal characteristics,
or mode of living is obtained through
2 personal interviews with
neighbors, friends, or associates of the consumer
3 reported on or with others with
whom the consumer is acquainted or who
4 may have knowledge concerning any
such items of information. However,
5 such information shall not include
specific factual information on a con-
6 sumer's credit record obtained
directly from a creditor of the consumer
7 or from a consumer reporting
agency when such information was ob-
8 tained directly from a creditor of
the consumer or from the consumer;
9
(m) ``medical information'' means information or records
obtained,
10 with the consent of the individual to whom
it relates, from licensed phy-
11 sicians or medical practitioners,
hospitals, clinics, or other medical or
12 medically related
facilities.; and
13 (n) ``person''
means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust,
14 estate, cooperative, association,
government or governmental subdivision
15 or agency, or other entity.
16 Sec.
3. K.S.A. 50-703 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-703.
17 (a) A consumer reporting agency may
furnish a consumer report under
18 the following circumstances and no
other:
19 (a)
(1) In response to the order of a court having
jurisdiction to issue
20 such an order, or a subpoena issued in
connection with criminal proceed-
21 ings or a subpoena issued pursuant to
the Kansas consumer protection
22 act;
23 (b)
(2) in accordance with the written instructions of the
consumer
24 to whom it relates;
and
25 (c)
(3) to a person which it has reason to
believe:
26 (1)
(A) Intends to use the information in connection with a
credit
27 transaction involving the consumer on whom
the information is to be
28 furnished and involving the extension of
credit to, or review or collection
29 of an account of, the consumer; or
30 (2)
(B) intends to use the information for employment
purposes; or
31 (3)
(C) intends to use the information in connection with
the under-
32 writing of insurance involving the
consumer; or
33 (4)
(D) intends to use the information in connection with a
deter-
34 mination of the consumer's eligibility for
a license or other benefit granted
35 by a governmental instrumentality required
by law to consider an appli-
36 cant's financial responsibility or status;
or
37 (5)
(E) intends to use the information as a potential investor
or ser-
38 vicer, or current insurer, in connection
with a valuation of, or an assess-
39 ment of the credit or prepayment risks
associated with, an existing credit
40 obligation; or
41
(F) otherwise has a legitimate business need for the
information (i)
42 in connection with a business transaction
involving that is initiated by
43 the consumer., or
(ii) to review an account to determine whether
the
7
1 consumer continues to meet the
terms of the account; or
2 (4) in
response to a request by the head of a state or local child
3 support enforcement agency, or a
state or local government official au-
4 thorized by the head of such an
agency, if the person making the request
5 certifies to the consumer reporting
agency that: (A) The consumer report
6 is needed for the purpose of
establishing an individual's capacity to make
7 child support payments or determining
the appropriate level of such
8 payments;
9 (B) the
paternity of the consumer for the child to which the obligation
10 relates has been established or
acknowledged by the consumer in ac-
11 cordance with state laws under which the
obligation arises, if required by
12 those laws;
13 (C) the person
has provided at least 10 days' prior notice to the con-
14 sumer whose report is requested, by
certified or registered mail to the
15 last known address of the consumer, that
the report will be requested;
16 and
17 (D) the consumer
report will be kept confidential, will be used solely
18 for a purpose described in subsection
(4)(A), and will not be used in
19 connection with any other civil,
administrative or criminal proceeding, or
20 for any other purpose;
and
21 (5) to an
agency administering a state plan for use to set an initial
or
22 modified child support
award.; and
23 (6) national
security investigations in accordance with 15
24 U.S.C. §
1681b(b)(4).
25 (b)
(1) A consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer
report
26 for employment purposes only if: (A) The
person who obtains such report
27 from the agency certifies to the agency
that:
28 (i) The person
has complied with subsection (b)(2) with respect to the
29 consumer report, and the person will
comply with subsection (b)(3) with
30 respect to the consumer report if
subsection (b)(3) becomes applicable;
31 and
32
(ii) information from the consumer report will not be used in
violation
33 of any applicable federal or state equal
employment opportunity law or
34 regulation; and
35 (B) the
consumer reporting agency provides with the report, or has
36 previously provided, a summary of the
consumer's rights under this title,
37 as prescribed by the federal trade
commission, pursuant to 15 U.S.C. §
38 609 1681g
(c)(3).
39 (2)
(A) Except as provided in subsection (b)(2)(B), a person may
not
40 procure a consumer report, or cause a
consumer report to be procured,
41 for employment purposes with respect to
any consumer, unless:
42 (i) A clear
and conspicuous disclosure has been made in writing to
43 the consumer at any time before the
report is procured or caused to be
8
1 procured, in a document that
consists solely of the disclosure, that a con-
2 sumer report may be obtained for
employment purposes; and (ii) the
3 consumer has authorized in
writing, which authorization may be made
4 on the document referred to in
clause (i), the procurement of the report
5 by that person;
6 (B) if a
consumer described in subsection (b)(2)(C) applies for em-
7 ployment by mail, telephone,
computer or other similar means, at any
8 time before a consumer report is
procured or caused to be procured in
9 connection with that
application:
10 (i) The person
who procures the consumer report on the consumer
11 for employment purposes shall provide to
the consumer, by oral, written
12 or electronic means, notice that a
consumer report may be obtained for
13 employment purposes, and a summary of
the consumer's rights pursuant
14 to subsection (a)(3) of K.S.A. 50-714,
and amendments thereto;
15 (ii) the
consumer shall have consented, orally, in writing, or
electron-
16 ically to the procurement of the report
by that person;
17 (C) subsection
(b)(2)(B) shall apply to a person procuring a consumer
18 report on a consumer in connection with
the consumer's application for
19 employment only if, as of the time at
which the person procures the report
20 or causes the report to be procured, the
only interaction between the
21 consumer and the person in connection
with that employment application
22 has been by mail, telephone, computer,
or other similar means.
23 (3)
(A) Except as provided in subsection (b)(3)(B), in using a
con-
24 sumer report for employment purposes,
before taking any adverse action
25 based in whole or in part on the report,
the person intending to take such
26 adverse action shall provide to the
consumer to whom the report relates:
27 (i) A copy of
the report; and
28 (ii) a
description in writing of the rights of the consumer under
this
29 title, as prescribed by the federal
trade commission pursuant to 15 U.S.C.
30 § 609
1681g (c)(3).
31 (B)
(i) If a consumer described in subsection (b)(3)(C) applies
for
32 employment by mail, telephone, computer
or other similar means, and if
33 a person who has procured a consumer
report on the consumer for em-
34 ployment purposes takes adverse action
on the employment application
35 based in whole or in part on the report,
then the person must provide to
36 the consumer to
home whom the report relates, in
lieu of the notices
37 required under subsection (b)(3)(A) and
pursuant to subsection (a) of
38 K.S.A. 50-714, and amendments thereto,
within three business days of
39 taking such adverse action, an oral,
written or electronic notification:
40 (a) That
adverse action has been taken based in whole or in part on
41 a consumer report received from a
consumer reporting agency;
42 (b) of the
name, address and telephone number of the consumer re-
43 porting agency that furnished the
consumer report, including a toll-free
9
1 telephone number established by
the agency if the agency compiles and
2 maintains files on consumers on a
nationwide basis;
3 (c) that
the consumer reporting agency did not make the decision to
4 take the adverse action and is
unable to provide to the consumer the
5 specific reasons why the adverse
action was taken; and
6 (d) that
the consumer, upon providing proper identification, may re-
7 quest a free copy of a report and
may dispute with the consumer reporting
8 agency the accuracy or
completeness of any information in a report; and
9 (ii) if,
under subsection (b)(3)(B)(i), the consumer requests a copy
of
10 a consumer report from the person who
procured the report, then, within
11 three business days of receiving the
consumer's request, together with
12 proper identification, the person must
send or provide to the consumer a
13 copy of a report and a copy of the
consumer's rights as prescribed by the
14 federal trade commission, pursuant to 15
U.S.C. § 609 1681g
(c)(3).
15 (C) Subsection
(b)(3)(B) shall apply to a person procuring a consumer
16 report on a consumer in connection with
the consumer's application for
17 employment only if, as of the time at
which the person procures the report
18 or causes the report to be procured, the
only interaction between the
19 consumer and the person in connection
with that employment application
20 has been by mail, telephone, computer,
or other similar means.
21 (c)
(1) A consumer reporting agency may furnish a consumer
report
22 relating to any consumer pursuant to
subsections (a)(3)(A) or (C) in con-
23 nection with any credit or insurance
transaction that is not initiated by
24 the consumer only if:
25 (A) The
consumer authorized the agency to provide such report to
26 such person; or
27 (B)
(i) the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit or
insurance;
28 (ii) the
consumer reporting agency has complied with subsection (d);
29 and
30 (iii) there is
not in effect an election by the consumer, made in ac-
31 cordance with subsection (d), to have
the consumer's name and address
32 excluded from lists of names provided by
the agency pursuant to this
33 paragraph.
34 (2) A person
may receive pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(B) only:
35 (A) The name
and address of a consumer;
36 (B) an
identifier that is not unique to the consumer and that is
used
37 by the person solely for the purpose of
verifying the identity of the con-
38 sumer; and
39 (C) other
information pertaining to a consumer that does not identify
40 the relationship or experience of the
consumer with respect to a particular
41 creditor or other entity.
42 (3) Except as
provided by subsection (a)(5) of K.S.A. 50-708, and
43 amendments thereto, a consumer reporting
agency shall not furnish to
10
1 any person a record of inquiries
in connection with a credit or insurance
2 transaction that is not initiated
by a consumer.
3 (d)
(1) A consumer may elect to have the consumer's name and
ad-
4 dress excluded from any list
provided by a consumer reporting agency
5 under subsection (c)(1)(B) in
connection with a credit or insurance trans-
6 action that is not initiated by
the consumer, by notifying the agency in
7 accordance with subsection (d)(2)
that the consumer does not consent to
8 any use of a consumer report
relating to the consumer in connection with
9 any credit or insurance
transaction that is not initiated by the consumer.
10 (2) A consumer
shall notify a consumer reporting agency under sub-
11 section (d)(1):
12 (A) Through
the notification system maintained by the agency under
13 subsection (d)(5); or
14 (B) by
submitting to the agency a signed notice of election form
issued
15 by the agency for purposes of this
subparagraph.
16 (3) Upon
receipt of notification of the election of a consumer under
17 subsection (d)(1) through the
notification system maintained by the
18 agency under subsection (d)(5), a
consumer reporting agency shall:
19 (A) Inform the
consumer that the election is effective only for the two-
20 year period following the election if
the consumer does not submit to the
21 agency a signed notice of election form
issued by the agency for purposes
22 of subsection (d)(2)(B); and
23 (B) provide to
the consumer a notice of election form, if requested by
24 the consumer, not later than five
business days after receipt of the noti-
25 fication of the election through the
system established under subsection
26 (d)(5), in the case of a request made at
the time the consumer provides
27 notification through the system.
28 (4) An
election of a consumer under subsection (d)(1):
29 (A) Shall be
effective with respect to a consumer reporting agency
30 beginning five business days after the
date on which the consumer notifies
31 the agency in accordance with subsection
(d)(2);
32 (B) shall be
effective with respect to a consumer reporting agency:
33 (i) Subject to
subsection (d)(4)(C), during the two-year period begin-
34 ning five business days after the date
on which the consumer notifies the
35 agency of the election, in the case of
an election for which a consumer
36 notifies the agency only in accordance
with subsection (d)(2)(A); or
37 (ii) until the
consumer notifies the agency under subsection (d)(4)(C),
38 in the case of an election for which a
consumer notifies the agency in
39 accordance with subsection
(d)(2)(B);
40 (C) shall not
be effective after the date on which the consumer notifies
41 the agency, through the notification
system established by the agency
42 under subsection (d)(5), that the
election is no longer effective; and
43 (D) shall be
effective with respect to each affiliate of the agency.
11
1 (5)
(A) Each consumer reporting agency that, under
subsection
2 (c)(1)(B), furnishes a consumer
report in connection with a credit or in-
3 surance transaction that is not
initiated by a consumer, shall:
4
(i) Establish and maintain a notification system, including a
toll-free
5 telephone number, which permits
any consumer whose consumer report
6 is maintained by the agency to
notify the agency, with appropriate iden-
7 tification, of the consumer's
election to have the consumer's name and
8 address excluded from any such
list of names and addresses provided by
9 the agency for such a transaction;
and
10 (ii) publish
by not later than 365 days after the date of enactment of
11 the consumer credit reporting reform act
of 1996, and not less than an-
12 nually thereafter, in a publication of
general circulation in the area served
13 by the agency:
14 (a) A
notification that information in consumer files maintained
by
15 the agency may be used in connection
with such transactions; and
16 (b) the
address and toll-free telephone number for consumers to use
17 to notify the agency of the consumer's
election under subsection
18 (d)(5)(A)(ii)(a).
19
(B) Establishment and maintenance of a notification system,
includ-
20 ing a toll-free telephone number and
publication by a consumer reporting
21 agency on the agency's own behalf and on
behalf of any of its affiliates in
22 accordance with this paragraph is deemed
to be in compliance with this
23 paragraph by each of those
affiliates.
24 (6) Each
consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files
25 on consumers on a nationwide basis shall
establish and maintain a noti-
26 fication system for purposes of
subsection (d)(5) jointly with other such
27 consumer reporting agencies.
28 (e) A person
shall not use or obtain a consumer report for any purpose
29 unless:
30 (1) The
consumer report is obtained for a purpose for which the
con-
31 sumer report is authorized to be
furnished under this section; and
32 (2) the
purpose is certified in accordance with K.S.A. 50-706, and
33 amendments thereto by a prospective user
of the report through a general
34 or specific certification.
35 (f) A consumer
reporting agency shall not furnish for employment
36 purposes, or in connection with a credit
or insurance transaction, a con-
37 sumer report that contains medical
information about a consumer, unless
38 the consumer consents to the furnishing
of the report.
39 Sec.
4. K.S.A. 50-704 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-704.
40 (a) Except as authorized under subsection
(b) of this section, no consumer
41 reporting agency may make any consumer
report containing any of the
42 following items of information:
43
(1) Bankruptcies which, from date of adjudication of
the most recent
12
1 bankruptcy Cases
under title 11 of the United States code or under the
2 bankruptcy act that, from the date
of entry of the order for relief or the
3 date of adjudication, as the case
may be, antedate the report by more
4 than fourteen (14)
10 years;
5
(2) civil suits and, civil
judgments and records of arrest which, from
6 date of entry, antedate the report by
more than seven (7) years or until
7 the governing statute of limitations
has expired, whichever is the longer
8 period;
9 (3) paid
tax liens which, from date of payment, antedate the report
10 by more than seven (7)
years;
11 (4) accounts
placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which
12 antedate the report by more than seven
(7) years; and
13
(5) records of arrest, indictment, or conviction of
crime which, from
14 date of disposition, release, or
parole, antedate the report by more than
15 seven (7) years; and
16
(6) any other adverse item of information other
than records of con-
17 victions of crimes which antedates
the report by more than seven (7)
18 years.
19 (b) The
provisions of subsection (a) of this section are not applicable
20 in the case of any consumer credit report
to be used in connection with
21 (1) a credit
transaction involving, or which may reasonably be ex-
22 pected to involve, a principal amount of
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000)
23 $150,000 or more;
24 (2) the
underwriting of life insurance involving, or which may rea-
25 sonably be expected to involve, a face
amount of fifty thousand dollars
26 ($50,000) $150,000
or more; or
27 (3) the
employment of any individual at an annual salary which
28 equals, or which may reasonably be expected
to equal twenty thousand
29 dollars ($20,000)
$75,000, or more.
30 (c) The
seven-year period referred to in subsection (a) shall
begin,
31 with respect to any delinquent account
that is placed for collection, in-
32 ternally or by referral to a third
party, whichever is earlier, charged to
33 profit and loss, or subjected to any
similar action, upon the expiration of
34 the 180-day period beginning on the date
of the commencement of the
35 delinquency which immediately preceded
the collection activity, charge
36 to profit and loss, or similar
action.
37 (d) Any
consumer reporting agency that furnishes a consumer report
38 that contains information regarding any
case involving the consumer that
39 arises under title 11, United States
code, shall include in the report an
40 identification of the chapter of such
title 11 under which such case arises
41 if provided by the source of the
information. If any case arising or filed
42 under title 11, United States code, is
withdrawn by the consumer before
43 a final judgment, the consumer reporting
agency shall include in the re-
13
1 port that such case or filing was
withdrawn upon receipt of documenta-
2 tion certifying such
withdrawal.
3 (e) If a
consumer reporting agency is notified pursuant to
subsection
4 (a)(6) of K.S.A. 50-722, and
amendments thereto that a credit account of
5 a consumer was voluntarily closed
by the consumer, the agency shall
6 indicate that fact in any consumer
report that includes information related
7 to the account.
8 (f) If a
consumer reporting agency is notified pursuant to
subsection
9 (a)(5)of K.S.A. 50-722, and
amendments thereto that information regard-
10 ing a consumer who was furnished to the
agency is disputed by the con-
11 sumer, the agency shall indicate that
fact in each consumer report that
12 includes the disputed
information.
13 Sec.
5. K.S.A. 50-705 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-705.
14 (a) A person may not procure or cause to be
prepared an investigative
15 consumer report on any consumer
unless:
16 (1) It is clearly
and accurately disclosed to the consumer that an in-
17 vestigative consumer report including
information as to the consumer's
18 character, general reputation, personal
characteristics, and mode of living,
19 whichever are applicable, may be made, and
such disclosure:
20 (A) Is made in a
writing mailed, or otherwise delivered, to the con-
21 sumer, not later than three days after the
date on which the report was
22 first requested,;
and
23 (B) includes a
statement informing the consumer of the right to re-
24 quest the additional disclosures provided
for under subsection (b) of this
25 section; or
26 (2) the
report is to be used for employment purposes for which
the
27 consumer has not specifically
applied and the written summary of the
28 rights of the consumer prepared by the
federal trade commission pursuant
29 to 15 U.S.C. § 609 (c)(3);
and
30 (2) the person
certifies or has certified to the consumer reporting
31 agency that:
32 (A) The person
has made the disclosures to the consumer required by
33 subsection (a)(1); and
34 (B) the person
will comply with subsection (b).
35 (b) Any person
who procures or causes to be prepared an investiga-
36 tive consumer report on any consumer
shall, upon written request made
37 by the consumer within a reasonable period
of time after the receipt by
38 him or her the
consumer of the disclosure required by subsection (a) (1)
39 of this section, shall make a
complete and accurate disclosure of the na-
40 ture and scope of the investigation
requested. This disclosure shall be
41 made in a writing and mailed, or
otherwise delivered, to the consumer
42 not later than five (5)
days after the date on which the request for such
43 disclosure was received from the consumer
or such report was first re-
14
1 quested, whichever is the later.
2 (c) No
person may be held liable for any violation of subsection (a)
3 or (b) of this
section if that person shows by a preponderance of the
4 evidence that at the time of the
violation the person maintained reason-
5 able procedures to assure compliance
with subsection (a) or (b).
6 (d)
(1) A consumer reporting agency shall not prepare or furnish
an
7 investigative consumer report
unless the agency has received a certifica-
8 tion under subsection (a)(2) from
the person who requested the report.
9 (2) A
consumer reporting agency shall not make an inquiry for the
10 purpose of preparing an investigative
consumer report on a consumer for
11 employment purposes if the making of the
inquiry by an employer or
12 prospective employer or the consumer
would violate any applicable fed-
13 eral or state equal employment
opportunity law or regulation.
14 (3) Except as
otherwise provided by K.S.A. 50-712, and amendments
15 thereto a consumer reporting agency
shall not furnish an investigative
16 consumer report that includes
information that is a matter of public rec-
17 ord and that relates to an arrest,
indictment, conviction, civil judicial
18 action, tax lien or outstanding
judgment, unless the agency has verified
19 the accuracy of the information during
the 30-day period ending on the
20 date on which the report is
furnished.
21 (4) A consumer
reporting agency shall not prepare or furnish an in-
22 vestigative consumer report on a
consumer that contains information that
23 is adverse to the interest of the
consumer and that is obtained through a
24 personal interview with a neighbor,
friend, or associate of the consumer
25 or with another person with whom the
consumer is acquainted or who
26 has knowledge of such item of
information, unless:
27 (A) The agency
has followed reasonable procedures to obtain confir-
28 mation of the information, from an
additional source that has independent
29 and direct knowledge of the information;
or
30 (B) the person
interviewed is the best possible source of the
31 information.
32 Sec.
6. K.S.A. 50-706 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-706.
33 (a) Every consumer reporting agency shall
maintain reasonable proce-
34 dures designed to avoid violations of
K.S.A. 50-704, and amendments
35 thereto and to limit the furnishing
of consumer reports to the purposes
36 listed under K.S.A. 50-703, and
amendments thereto. These procedures
37 shall require that prospective users of the
information identify them-
38 selves, certify the purposes for which the
information is sought, and cer-
39 tify that the information will be used for
no other purpose. Every con-
40 sumer reporting agency shall make a
reasonable effort to verify the
41 identity of a new prospective user and the
uses certified by such pro-
42 spective user prior to furnishing such user
a consumer report. No con-
43 sumer reporting agency may furnish a
consumer report to any person if
15
1 it has reasonable grounds for
believing that the consumer report will not
2 be used for a purpose listed in
K.S.A. 50-703, and amendments thereto.
3
(b) Whenever a consumer reporting agency prepares a consumer
re-
4 port it shall follow reasonable
procedures to assure maximum possible
5 accuracy of the information
concerning the individual about whom the
6 report relates.
7 (c) A
consumer reporting agency may not prohibit a user of a con-
8 sumer report furnished by the
agency on a consumer from disclosing the
9 contents of the report to the
consumer, if adverse action against the con-
10 sumer has been taken by the user based
in whole or in part on the report.
11 (d)
(1) A consumer reporting agency shall provide a notice of
such
12 person's responsibilities under this
title to any person:
13 (A) Who
regularly and in the ordinary course of business furnishes
14 information to the agency with respect
to any consumer; or
15 (B) to whom a
consumer report is provided by the agency;
16 (2) a consumer
reporting agency shall be in compliance with this sub-
17 section if it provides a notice under
subsection (d)(1) that is substantially
18 similar to the federal trade commission
prescription under 15 U.S.C. §
19 607 (d)(2).
20 (e)
(1) A person may not procure a consumer report for purposes
of
21 reselling the report, or any information
in the report, unless the person
22 discloses to the consumer reporting
agency that originally furnishes the
23 report:
24 (A) The
identity of the end-user of the report or information; and
25 (B) each
permissible purpose under K.S.A. 50-703, and amendments
26 thereto for which the report is
furnished to the end-user of the report or
27 information.
28 (2) A person
who procures a consumer report for purposes of reselling
29 the report or any information in the
report shall:
30 (A) Establish
and comply with reasonable procedures designed to en-
31 sure that the report or information is
resold by the person only for a
32 purpose for which the report may be
furnished under K.S.A. 50-703, and
33 amendments thereto including by
requiring that each person to which the
34 report or information is resold and that
resells or provides the report or
35 information to any other person:
36 (i) Identifies
each end-user of the resold report or information;
37 (ii) certifies
each purpose for which the report or information will be
38 used; and
39
(iii) certifies that the report or information will be used
for no other
40 purpose; and
41 (B) before
reselling the report, make reasonable efforts to verify the
42 indentifications and certifications made
under subsection (e)(2)(A).
43
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (e)(1) or
(2), a per-
16
1 son who procures a consumer report
for purposes of reselling the report
2 or any information in the report
shall not disclose the identity of the end-
3 user of the report under
subsection (e)(1) or (2) if:
4 (A) The
end-user is an agency or department of the United States
5 government which procures the
report from the person for purposes of
6 determining the eligibility of the
consumer concerned to receive access or
7 continued access to classified
information; and
8 (B) the
agency or department certifies in writing to the person re-
9 selling the report that
nondisclosure is necessary to protect classified in-
10 formation or the safety of persons
employed by or contracting with, or
11 undergoing investigation for work or
contracting with the agency or
12 department.
13 Sec.
7. K.S.A. 50-708 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-708.
14 (a) Every consumer reporting agency shall,
upon request and proper iden-
15 tification of any consumer, and subject
to the provisions of K.S.A. 50-709,
16 and amendments thereto, clearly and
accurately disclose to the consumer:
17 (1) The
nature and substance of all information (except medical
in-
18 formation) in its files on the
consumer at the time of the request. All
19 information in the consumer's file at
the time of the request, except that
20 nothing in this subsection shall be
construed to require a consumer re-
21 porting agency to disclose to a consumer
any information concerning
22 credit scores or any other risk scores
or predictors relating to the
23 consumer;
24 (2) the sources
of the information;, except that the
sources of infor-
25 mation acquired solely for use in preparing
an investigative consumer
26 report and actually used for no other
purpose need not be disclosed:
27 Provided, That. In the event
an action is brought under the provisions of
28 K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
amendments thereto, such sources
29 shall be available to the plaintiff under
appropriate discovery procedures
30 in the court in which the action is
brought.;
31 (3) The
recipients of any consumer report on the consumer which
it
32 has furnished
identification of each person, including each end-user
iden-
33 tified under subsection (e)(1) of K.S.A.
50-706, and amendments thereto,
34 that have procured a consumer
report:
35 (A) For
employment purposes within the two-year period preceding
36 the request,
and;
37 (B) for any other
purpose within the six-month one-year
period pre-
38 ceding the
request.;
39 (C) an
identification of a person under subsection (a)(3)(A) shall
in-
40 clude the name of the person or, if
applicable, the trade name, written in
41 full, under which such person conducts
business and the address and
42 telephone number of the person;
43 (D) subsection
(a)(3)(A) does not apply if:
17
1 (i) The
end-user is an agency or department of the United States
gov-
2 ernment that procures the report
from the person for purposes of deter-
3 mining the eligibility of the
consumer to whom the report relates to receive
4 access or continued access to
classified information; and
5 (ii) the
head of the agency or department makes a written finding as
6 prescribed under 15 U.S.C. §
1681b (4)(A);
7 (4) the
dates, original payees, and amounts of any checks upon
which
8 is based any adverse
characterization of the consumer, included in the file
9 at the time of the disclosure;
and
10 (5) a record
of all inquiries received by the agency during the one-
11 year period preceding the request that
identified the consumer in con-
12 nection with a credit or insurance
transaction that was not initiated by
13 the consumer.
14 (b)
(1) A consumer reporting agency shall notify a
consumer, by let-
15 ter sent by first-class mail,
that the consumer reporting agency will pro-
16 vide the consumer with a
disclosure copy of the consumer's file at no
17 charge and a toll-free telephone
number to call to request such copy, when
18 one of the following events
occurs within a 12-month period:
19
(A) The consumer reporting agency has received three credit
inquiries
20 pertaining to the consumer;
or
21
(B) the consumer reporting agency has received a report that
would
22 add adverse action to a
consumer's file.
23 (2) A
consumer reporting agency need only send one letter to a
con-
24 sumer per 12-month period
pursuant to subsection (b)(1) even if more
25 than one such event occurs in
that period.
26
(3) Any letter mailed to a consumer pursuant to subsection (b)
shall
27 not contain any identifying
information particular to that consumer in-
28 cluding, but not limited to
social security number, place of employment,
29 date of birth or mother's maiden
name.
30
(4) Any letter mailed to a consumer pursuant to subsection (b)
may
31 be a form letter, except that
each letter shall advise the consumer of the
32 number and type of events that
occurred relating to the consumer that
33 initiated the
letter.
34 (b)
(c) The requirements of subsection (a)
respecting the disclosure
35 of sources of information and the
recipients of consumer reports do not
36 apply to information received or consumer
reports furnished prior to the
37 effective date of this act except to the
extent that the matter involved is
38 contained in the files of the consumer
reporting agency on that date.
39 Sec.
8. K.S.A. 50-709 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-709.
40 (a) A consumer reporting agency
shall make the disclosures required un-
41 der K.S.A. 50-708 during normal
business hours and on reasonable notice.
42 (b) The
disclosures required under K.S.A. 50-708 shall be made
to
43 the consumer
18
1
(1) in person if the consumer appears in person and furnishes
proper
2 identification;
or
3
(2) by telephone if the consumer has made a written request,
with
4 proper identification, for
telephone disclosure and the toll charge, if any,
5 for the telephone call is
prepaid by or charged directly to the consumer.
6 (1) A consumer reporting
agency shall require, as a condition of making
7 the disclosures required under
K.S.A. 50-708, and amendments thereto
8 that the consumer furnish proper
identification.
9
(2) Except as provided in subsection (b), the disclosures
required to
10 be made under K.S.A. 50-708, and
amendments thereto, shall be provided
11 under that section in writing.
12 (b)
(1) If authorized by a consumer, a consumer reporting
agency
13 may make the disclosures required under
K.S.A. 50-708, and amendments
14 thereto:
15 (A) Other than
in writing; and
16 (B) in such
form as may be:
17 (i) Specified
by the consumer in accordance with subsection (b)(2);
18 and
19 (ii) available
from the agency.
20 (2) A consumer
may specify pursuant to subsection (b)(1) that disclo-
21 sures under K.S.A. 50-708, and
amendments thereto, shall be made:
22 (A) In person,
upon the appearance of the consumer at the place of
23 business of the consumer reporting
agency where disclosures are regularly
24 provided, during normal business hours,
and on reasonable notice;
25 (B) by
telephone, if the consumer has made a written request for
26 disclosure by telephone;
27 (C) by
electronic means, if available from the agency; or
28 (D) by any
other reasonable means that is available from the agency.
29 (c) Any consumer
reporting agency shall provide trained personnel
30 to explain to the consumer any information
furnished to him or her the
31 consumer pursuant to K.S.A.
50-708, and amendments thereto.
32 (d) The consumer
shall be permitted to be accompanied by one other
33 person of his or her
the consumer's choosing, who shall furnish reasonable
34 identification. A consumer reporting agency
may require the consumer
35 to furnish a written statement granting
permission to the consumer re-
36 porting agency to discuss the consumer's
file in such person's presence.
37 (e) Except as
provided in K.S.A. 50-715 and 50-716, and amendments
38 thereto, no consumer may bring any
action or proceeding in the nature
39 of defamation, invasion of privacy, or
negligence with respect to the re-
40 porting of information against any consumer
reporting agency, any user
41 of information, or any person who furnishes
information to a consumer
42 reporting agency, based on information
disclosed pursuant to K.S.A. 50-
43 708, 50-709 or 50-714, and amendments
thereto, or based on information
19
1 disclosed by a user of a consumer
report to or for a consumer against
2 whom the user has taken adverse
action, based in whole or in part on the
3 report, except as to false
information furnished with malice or willful
4 intent to injure such consumer.
5 Sec.
9. K.S.A. 50-710 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-710.
6 (a) If the completeness or accuracy
of any item of information contained
7 in his or her a
consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is
disputed
8 by a consumer, and such dispute is
directly conveyed to the consumer
9 reporting agency by the consumer, the
consumer reporting agency shall
10 within a reasonable period of
time reinvestigate free of charge and record
11 the current status of that
the disputed information unless it has
reasonable
12 grounds to believe that the dispute
by the consumer is frivolous or irrel-
13 evant or delete the
item from the file in accordance with subsection (f)
14 before the end of the 30-day period
beginning on the date on which the
15 agency receives the notice of the
dispute from the consumer. If after such
16 reinvestigation such information is found
to be inaccurate or can no
17 longer be verified, the consumer reporting
agency shall promptly delete
18 such information. The presence of
contradictory information in the con-
19 sumer's file does not in and of
itself constitute reasonable grounds for
20 believing the dispute is frivolous
or irrelevant.
21
(b) Recordation of current status and/or deletion
of disputed infor-
22 mation shall be completed by the
consumer reporting agency before the
23 end of the 30-day period beginning on
the date on which the agency
24 receives the notice of the dispute from
the consumer.
25 (b) The 30-day
period described in subsection (a) may be extended
26 for not more than 15 additional days if
the consumer reporting agency
27 receives information from the consumer
during that 30-day period that
28 is relevant to reinvestigation. No
extension shall apply to any reinvesti-
29 gation in which, during the 30-day
period, the information that is the
30 subject of the reinvestigation is found
to be inaccurate or incomplete or
31 the consumer reporting agency determines
that the information cannot
32 be verified.
33 (c)
(1) Before the expiration of the five-business-day period
begin-
34 ning on the date on which a consumer
reporting agency receives notice
35 of a dispute from any consumer in
accordance with subsection (a), the
36 agency shall provide notification of the
dispute to any person who pro-
37 vided any item of information in
dispute, at the address and in the manner
38 established with the person. The notice
shall include all relevant infor-
39 mation regarding the dispute that the
agency has received from the
40 consumer.
41 (2) The
consumer reporting agency shall promptly provide to the
per-
42 son who provided the information in
dispute all relevant information re-
43 garding the dispute that is received by
the agency from the consumer
20
1 after the period referred to in
subsection (c)(1) and before the end of the
2 period referred to in subsection
(a)(1).
3 (d)
(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a consumer reporting
agency
4 may terminate a reinvestigation of
information disputed by a consumer
5 if the agency reasonably
determines that the dispute by the consumer is
6 frivolous or irrelevant, including
by reason of a failure by a consumer to
7 provide sufficient information to
investigate the disputed information.
8 (2) Upon
making any determination that a dispute is frivolous or ir-
9 relevant, pursuant to subsection
(d)(1), a consumer reporting agency shall
10 notify the consumer of such
determination not later than five business
11 days after making such determination, by
mail or, if authorized by the
12 consumer for that purpose, by any other
means available to the agency.
13 (3) A notice
under subsection (d)(2) shall include:
14 (i) The
reasons for the determination that the dispute is frivolous
or
15 irrelevant; and
16
(ii) identification of any information required to investigate
the dis-
17 puted information, which may consist of
a standardized form describing
18 the general nature of such
information.
19 (e) In
conducting any reinvestigation under subsection (a) with
re-
20 spect to disputed information in the
file of any consumer, the consumer
21 reporting agency shall review and
consider all relevant information sub-
22 mitted by the consumer during the 30-day
period beginning on the date
23 on which the agency receives the notice
of the dispute from the consumer
24 with respect to such disputed
information.
25 (f)
(1) If, after any reinvestigation under subsection (a) of any
infor-
26 mation disputed by a consumer, an item
of the information is found to be
27 inaccurate or incomplete or cannot be
verified, the consumer reporting
28 agency shall promptly delete that item
of information from the consumer's
29 file or modify that item of information,
as appropriate, based upon the
30 results of the reinvestigation.
31 (2)
(A) If any information is deleted from a consumer's file
pursuant
32 to subsection (f)(1), the information
may not be reinserted in the file by
33 the consumer reporting agency unless the
person who furnishes the in-
34 formation certifies that the information
is complete and accurate.
35 (B) If any
information that has been deleted from a consumer's file
36 pursuant to subsection (f)(1) is
reinserted in the file, the consumer re-
37 porting agency shall notify the consumer
of the reinsertion in writing not
38 later that five business days after the
reinsertion or, if authorized by the
39 consumer for that purpose, by any other
means available to the agency.
40 (C) As part
of, or in addition to, this notice a consumer reporting
41 agency shall provide to a consumer in
writing not later than five business
42 days after the date of the
reinsertion:
43 (i) A
statement that the disputed information has been
reinserted;
21
1 (ii) the
business name and address of any furnisher of information
2 contacted and the telephone number
of such furnisher, if reasonably avail-
3 able, or of any furnisher of
information that contacted the consumer re-
4 porting agency, in connection with
the reinsertion of such information;
5 and
6 (iii) a
notice that the consumer has the right to add a statement
to
7 the consumer's file disputing the
accuracy or completeness of the disputed
8 information.
9 (3) A
consumer reporting agency shall maintain reasonable proce-
10 dures designed to prevent the
reappearance in a consumer's file, and in
11 consumer reports on the consumer, of
information that is deleted pursuant
12 to this paragraph, other than
information that is reinserted in accordance
13 with subsection (f)(2).
14 (4) Any
consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files
15 on consumers on a nationwide basis shall
implement an automated system
16 through which furnishers of information
to that consumer reporting
17 agency may report the results of a
reinvestigation that finds incomplete
18 or inaccurate information in a
consumer's file to other such consumer
19 reporting agencies.
20 (g)
(1) A consumer reporting agency shall provide written notice
to
21 a consumer of the results of a
reinvestigation under this subsection not
22 later that five business days after the
completion of the reinvestigation,
23 by mail or, if authorized by the
consumer for that purpose, by other means
24 available to the agency. As part of, or
in addition to, such notice, a con-
25 sumer reporting agency shall provide to
a consumer in writing before the
26 expiration of the five-day
period:
27 (A) A
statement that the reinvestigation is completed;
28 (B) a consumer
report that is based upon the consumer's file as that
29 file is revised as a result of the
reinvestigation;
30 (C) a notice
that, if requested by the consumer, a description of the
31 procedure used to determine the accuracy
and completeness of the infor-
32 mation shall be provided to the consumer
by the agency, including the
33 business name and address of any
furnisher of information contacted in
34 connection with such information and the
telephone number of such fur-
35 nisher, if reasonably available;
36 (D) a notice
that the consumer has the right to add a statement to the
37 consumer's file disputing the accuracy
or completeness of the information;
38 and
39 (E) a notice
that the consumer has the right to request under subsec-
40 tion (l) that the consumer reporting
agency furnish notifications under
41 that subsection.
42 (h) A consumer
reporting agency shall provide to a consumer a de-
43 scription referred to in subsection
(g)(1)(C) by not later than 15 days after
22
1 receiving a request from the
consumer for that description.
2 (i) If a
dispute regarding an item of information in a consumer's
file
3 at a consumer reporting agency is
resolved in accordance with subsection
4 (f)(1) by the deletion of the
disputed information by not later that three
5 business days after the date on
which the agency receives notice of the
6 dispute from the consumer in
accordance with subsection (a), then the
7 agency shall not be required to
comply with subsection (c), (g) and (h)
8 with respect to that dispute if
the agency:
9
(1) Provides prompt notice of the deletion to the consumer
by
10 telephone;
11 (2) includes
in that notice, or in a written notice that accompanies a
12 confirmation and consumer report
provided in accordance with subsec-
13 tion (i)(3), a statement of the
consumer's right to request under subsection
14 (l) that the agency furnish
notifications under that subsection; and
15 (3) provides
written confirmation of the deletion and a copy of a con-
16 sumer report on the consumer that is
based on the consumer's file after
17 the deletion, not later than five
business days after making the deletion.
18 (j) If the
reinvestigation does not resolve the dispute, the consumer
19 may file a brief statement setting forth
the nature of the dispute. The
20 consumer reporting agency may limit such
statements to not more than
21 one hundred words if it provides the
consumer with assistance in writing
22 a clear summary of the dispute.
23 (c)
(k) Whenever a statement of dispute is filed, unless
there is rea-
24 sonable grounds to believe that it is
frivolous or irrelevant, the consumer
25 reporting agency shall, in any subsequent
consumer report containing the
26 information in question, clearly note that
it is disputed by the consumer
27 and provide either the consumer's statement
or a clear and accurate cod-
28 ification or summary thereof.
29 (d)
(l) Following any deletion of information which is
found to be
30 inaccurate or whose accuracy can no longer
be verified or any notation
31 as to disputed information, the consumer
reporting agency shall, at the
32 request of the consumer, furnish
notification that the item has been de-
33 leted or the statement, codification or
summary pursuant to subsection
34 (b) or (c) of this section
(j) or (k) to any person specifically designated by
35 the consumer who has within two years prior
thereto received a consumer
36 report for employment purposes, or within
six months prior thereto re-
37 ceived a consumer report for any other
purpose, which contained the
38 deleted or disputed information. The
consumer reporting agency shall
39 clearly and conspicuously disclose to the
consumer his or her such con-
40 sumer's rights to make such a
request. Such disclosure shall be made at
41 or prior to the time the information is
deleted or the consumer's state-
42 ment regarding the disputed information is
received.
43 Sec.
10. K.S.A. 50-711 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-711.
23
1 (a) (1) Except as provided
in subsections (b), and
(c), and (d), a consumer
2 reporting agency may impose a
reasonable charge on a consumer for
3 making a disclosure to the
consumer pursuant to K.S.A. 50-708, and
4 amendments thereto, which
charge:
5
(A) Shall not exceed $8 the
amount allowed under 15 U.S.C. §
6 1681(a); and
7
(B) shall be indicated to the consumer before furnishing
such
8 information.
9
(2) Except as otherwise provided by this section, a consumer
report-
10 ing agency may impose a reasonable
charge on a consumer for furnishing,
11 following a reinvestigation, a
statement, codification, or summary to a
12 person designated by the consumer under
that section after the 30-day
13 period beginning on the date of
notification of the consumer with respect
14 to the reinvestigation, which
charge:
15 (A) Shall not
exceed the charge that the agency would impose on each
16 designated recipient for a consumer
report; and
17 (B) shall be
indicated to the consumer before furnishing such
18 information.
19
(b) A consumer reporting agency shall make all
disclosures pursuant
20 to subsection
(d) of K.S.A. 50-708, and
amendments thereto, and furnish
21 all consumer reports pursuant
to subsection (d) of
K.S.A. 50-710(d),
and
22 amendments thereto,
without charge to the consumer if, within
thirty (30)
23 60 days
after receipt by such consumer of a notification pursuant to
K.S.A.
24 50-714, and
amendments thereto, or notification from a
debt collection
25 agency affiliated with such
consumer reporting agency stating that the
26 consumer's credit rating may be or
has been adversely affected, the con-
27 sumer makes a request under K.S.A.
50-708 or subsection (g) or (l) of
50-
28
710(d), and amendments
thereto. Otherwise, the consumer
reporting
29 agency may impose a reasonable
charge on the consumer for making
30 disclosure to such consumer
pursuant to K.S.A. 50-708, the charge for
31 which shall be indicated to the
consumer prior to making disclosure; and
32 for furnishing notifications,
statements, summaries, or codifications to
33 persons designated by the consumer
pursuant to K.S.A. 50-710(d), the
34 charge for which shall be indicated
to the consumer prior to furnishing
35 such information and shall not
exceed the charge that the consumer re-
36 porting agency would impose on each
designated recipient for a consumer
37 report except that no charge may be
made for notifying such persons of
38 the deletion of information which
is found to be inaccurate or which can
39 no longer be verified.
40
(c) Upon the request of the consumer,
a consumer reporting agency
41 shall make all disclosures pursuant to
K.S.A. 50-708, and amendments
42 thereto, once during any 12-month period
without charge to that con-
43 sumer if the consumer certifies in writing
that the consumer:
24
1 (1) Is
unemployed and intends to apply for employment in the 60-
2 day period beginning on the date on
which the certification is made;
3 (2) is a
recipient of public welfare assistance, or
4 (3) has
reason to believe that the file on the consumer at the agency
5 contains inaccurate information due
to fraud.
6
(d) (c) A consumer reporting
agency shall not impose any charge on
7 a consumer for providing any
notification required by this act or making
8 any disclosure required by this
act, except as authorized by subsection
9 (a).
10
(e) (d) Each consumer
reporting agency, upon request of a consumer,
11 shall provide the consumer with one
disclosure copy of the consumer's
12 file per year at no charge
whether or not the consumer has made
the
13 request, in response to the
notification required in subsection (b)(1) of
14 K.S.A. 50-708.
If the consumer requests more than one disclosure copy of
15 the consumer's file per year pursuant to
this subsection, the consumer
16 reporting agency may charge the
consumer up to $8 for each
additional
17 disclosure copy as provided in
subsection (a).
18 Sec.
11. K.S.A. 50-714 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-714.
19 (a) Whenever credit or insurance
for personal, family or household pur-
20 poses, or employment involving a
consumer is denied or the charge for
21 such credit or insurance is
increased either wholly or partly because of
22 information contained in a consumer
report from a consumer reporting
23 agency, the user of the consumer
report shall so advise the consumer
24 against whom such adverse action
has been taken and supply the name
25 and address of the consumer
reporting agency making the report. If any
26 person takes any adverse action with
respect to any consumer that is based
27 in whole or in part on any information
contained in a consumer report,
28 the person shall:
29 (1) Provide
oral, written or electronic notice of the adverse action to
30 the consumer;
31 (2) provide to
the consumer orally, in writing, or electronically:
32 (A) The name,
address, and telephone number of the consumer re-
33 porting agency including a toll-free
telephone number established by the
34 agency if the agency compiles and
maintains files on consumers on a
35 nationwide basis, that furnished the
report to the person; and
36 (B) a
statement that the consumer reporting agency did not make
the
37 decision to take the adverse action and
is unable to provide the consumer
38 the specific reasons why the adverse
action was taken; and
39 (3) provide to
the consumer an oral, written, or electronic notice of
40 the consumer's right:
41 (A) To obtain,
pursuant to K.S.A. 50-711, and amendments thereto,
42 a free copy of a consumer report on the
consumer from the consumer
43 reporting agency, which notice shall
include an indication of the 60-day
25
1 period under that section for
obtaining such a copy; and
2 (B) to
dispute, pursuant to K.S.A. 50-710, and amendments thereto,
3 with a consumer reporting agency
the accuracy or completeness of any
4 information in a consumer report
furnished by the agency.
5
(b) Whenever credit for personal, family, or household
purposes in-
6 volving a consumer is denied or the
charge for such credit is increased
7 either wholly or partly because of
information obtained from a person
8 other than a consumer reporting
agency bearing upon the consumer's
9 credit worthiness, credit standing,
credit capacity, character, general rep-
10 utation, personal characteristics, or mode
of living, the user of such in-
11 formation shall, within a reasonable period
of time, upon the consumer's
12 written request for the reasons for such
adverse action received within
13 sixty (60) 60 days
after learning of such adverse action, disclose the nature
14 of the information to the consumer. The
user of such information shall
15 clearly and accurately disclose to the
consumer the right to make such
16 written request at the time such adverse
action is communicated to the
17 consumer.
18 (c) No
person shall be held liable for any violation of this section
if
19 the person shows by a preponderance
of the evidence that at the time of
20 the alleged violation he or she
maintained reasonable procedures to as-
21 sure compliance with the provisions
of subsections (a) and (b). If a person
22 takes an adverse action, as defined by
subsection (k)(1) of K.S.A. 50-702,
23 and amendments thereto, taken in
connection with a transaction initiated
24 by the consumer, or any adverse action,
as defined by subsection (k)(2)(a)
25 and (b) of K.S.A. 50-702, and amendments
thereto, with respect to a
26 consumer, based in whole or in part on
information described in subsec-
27 tion (d), the person shall:
28 (1) Notify the
consumer of the action, including a statement that the
29 consumer may obtain the information in
accordance with subsection (2);
30 and
31 (2) upon a
written request from the consumer received within 60 days
32 after transmittal of the notice required
by subsection (1), disclose to the
33 consumer the nature of the information
upon which the action is based
34 by not later than 30 days after receipt
of the request.
35
(d) Information described in subsection (c), except as
provided in sub-
36 section (3), is information
that:
37 (1) Is
furnished to the person taking the action by a person
related
38 by common ownership or affiliated by
common corporate control to the
39 person taking the action; and
40 (2) bears on
the credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity,
41 character, general reputation, personal
characteristics, or mode of living
42 of the consumer; and
43 (3) does not
include information solely as to transactions or experi-
26
1 ences between the consumer and the
person furnishing the information,
2 or information contained within a
consumer report.
3 (e) Any
person who uses a consumer report on any consumer in con-
4 nection with any credit or
insurance transaction that is not initiated by
5 the consumer, that is provided to
that person pursuant to subsection
6 (c)(1)(B) of K.S.A. 50-703, and
amendments thereto, shall include the
7 address and toll-free telephone
number of the appropriate notification
8 system established pursuant to
subsection (d) of K.S.A. 50-703, and
9 amendments thereto, and shall
provide with each written solicitation
10 made to the consumer regarding the
transaction a clear and conspicuous
11 statement that:
12
(1) Information contained in the consumer's consumer report
was
13 used in connection with the
transaction;
14 (2) the
consumer received the offer of credit or insurance because
the
15 consumer satisfied the criteria for
credit worthiness or insurability under
16 which the consumer was selected for the
offer;
17 (3) if
applicable, the credit or insurance may not be extended if,
after
18 the consumer responds to the offer, the
consumer does not meet the cri-
19 teria used to select the consumer for
the offer or any applicable criteria
20 bearing on credit worthiness or
insurability or does not furnish any re-
21 quired collateral; and
22 (4) the
consumer has a right to prohibit information contained in
the
23 consumer's file with any consumer
reporting agency from being used in
24 connection with any credit or insurance
transaction that is not initiated
25 by the consumer, and may exercise such
right by notifying a notification
26 system established pursuant to
subsection (d) of K.S.A. 50-703, and
27 amendments thereto.
28 (f) A person
who makes an offer of credit or insurance to a consumer
29 under a credit or insurance transaction
described in subsection (f) shall
30 maintain on file the criteria used to
select the consumer to receive the
31 offer, all criteria bearing on credit
worthiness or insurability, as appli-
32 cable, that are the basis for
determining whether or not to extend credit
33 or insurance pursuant to the offer, and
any requirement for the furnishing
34 of collateral as a condition of the
extension of credit or insurance, until
35 the expiration of the three-year period
beginning on the date on which
36 the offer is made to the
consumer.
37 (g) This
section is not intended to affect the authority of any
federal
38 or state agency to enforce a prohibition
against unfair or deceptive acts
39 or practices, including the making of
false or misleading statements in
40 connection with a credit or insurance
transaction that is not initiated by
41 the consumer.
42 Sec.
12. K.S.A. 50-715 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-715.
43 (a) Any consumer reporting
agency or user of information which person
27
1 who willfully fails to comply
with any requirement imposed under K.S.A.
2 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
amendments thereto, with respect to any
3 consumer is liable to that consumer
in an amount equal to the sum of:
4
(a) (1) Any actual damages sustained
by the consumer as a result of
5 the failure, or damages of not
less than $100 and not more than $1,000;
6
(b) (2) such amount of punitive
damages as the court may allow; and
7
(c) (3) in the case of liability of a
natural person for obtaining a
8 consumer report under false
pretenses or knowingly without a permissible
9 purpose actual damages sustained
by the consumer as a result of the
10 failure or $1,000, whichever is greater;
and
11 (4) in the
case of any successful action to enforce any liability under
12 this section, the costs of the action
together with reasonable attorney's
13 attorney fees as determined by the
court.
14 (b) Any person
who obtains a consumer report from a consumer re-
15 porting agency under false pretenses or
knowingly without a permissible
16 purpose shall be liable to the consumer
reporting agency for actual dam-
17 ages sustained by the consumer reporting
agency or $1,000, whichever is
18 greater.
19 (c) Upon a
finding by the court that an unsuccessful pleading, motion,
20 or other paper filed in connection with
an action under this section was
21 filed in bad faith or for purposes of
harassment, the court shall award to
22 the prevailing party attorney fees
reasonable in relation to the work ex-
23 pended in responding to the pleading,
motion, or other paper.
24 Sec.
13. K.S.A. 50-716 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-716.
25 (a) Any consumer reporting
agency or user of information which person
26 who is negligent in failing to
comply with any requirement imposed under
27 K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
amendments thereto, with respect
28 to any consumer is liable to that consumer
in an amount equal to the sum
29 of:
30 (a)
(1) Any actual damages sustained by the consumer as a
result of
31 the failure;
32 (b)
(2) in the case of any successful action to enforce any
liability
33 under this section, the costs of the action
together with reasonable attor-
34 ney's attorney fees
as determined by the court.
35 (b) On a
finding by the court that an unsuccessful pleading, motion,
36 or other paper filed in connection with
an action under this section was
37 filed in bad faith or for purposes of
harassment, the court shall award to
38 the prevailing party attorney fees
reasonable in relation to the work ex-
39 pended in responding to the pleading,
motion, or other paper.
40 Sec.
14. K.S.A. 50-717 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-717.
41 An action to enforce any liability created
under the provisions of K.S.A.
42 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
sections 19 and 20, and amendments
43 thereto, may be brought in the district
court of the county in which the
28
1 controversy arose or any other
court of competent jurisdiction, within
two
2 years from the date on which
the liability arises, except that where a
3 defendant has materially and
willfully misrepresented any information
4 required under the provisions
of such sections of this act to be disclosed
5 to an individual and the
information so misrepresented is material to the
6 establishment of the
defendant's liability to that individual under such
7 provisions of this act, the
action may be brought at any time within two
8 years after discovery by the
individual of the misrepresentation.
9 Sec.
15. K.S.A. 50-718 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-718.
10 Any person who knowingly and willfully
obtains information on a con-
11 sumer from a consumer reporting agency
under false pretenses shall be
12 deemed is guilty of
a class A misdemeanor severity level 7, person
felony
13 and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished in the manner
provided
14 by law.
15 Sec.
16. K.S.A. 50-719 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-719.
16 Any officer or employee of a consumer
reporting agency who knowingly
17 and willfully provides information
concerning an individual from the
18 agency's files to a person not authorized
to receive that information shall
19 be deemed is guilty
of a class A misdemeanor severity level 7,
person
20 felony and upon conviction
thereof shall be punished in the manner pro-
21 vided by law.
22 Sec.
17. K.S.A. 50-720 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-720.
23 Any person violating any of the provisions
of K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-719 50-
24 722, inclusive, and sections 19
and 20, and amendments thereto, for
25 which penalties are not otherwise
hereinbefore provided shall be
deemed
26 is guilty of a class C misdemeanor
and upon conviction thereof shall be
27 punished in the manner provided by law.
28 Sec.
18. K.S.A. 50-721 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-721.
29 (a) The consumer credit
commissioner attorney general is hereby au-
30 thorized to enforce the provisions of
K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-720 50-722,
31 inclusive, and sections 19 and 20,
and amendments thereto, and for such
32 purpose is hereby authorized to adopt such
rules and regulations as may
33 be necessary for the proper administration
and enforcement of the pro-
34 visions of such sections of this act.
35
(b) A violation of this act shall be deemed
an unconscionable act or
36 practice under the Kansas
consumer protection act.
37
(c) The attorney general is hereby authorized
to investigate violations
38 of this act and obtain remedies for
violations as provided by the Kansas
39 consumer protection act, K.S.A.
50-623 et seq., and amendments thereto.
40 New Sec.
19. Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, a
con-
41 sumer reporting agency shall include in any
consumer report furnished
42 by the agency in accordance with K.S.A.
50-703, and amendments
43 thereto, any information on the failure of
the consumer to pay overdue
29
1 support which antedates the report by
seven years or less, and is provided:
2 (a) To the
consumer reporting agency by a state or local child support
3 enforcement agency; or
4 (b) to the
consumer reporting agency and verified by any local, state,
5 or federal government agency.
6 New Sec.
20. (a) (1) A person shall not furnish any information
re-
7 lating to a consumer to any consumer
reporting agency if the person
8 knows or consciously avoids knowing
that the information is inaccurate.
9 (2) A
person shall not furnish information relating to a consumer to
10 any consumer reporting agency if:
11 (A) The person
has been notified by the consumer, at the address
12 specified by the person for such notices,
that specific information is in-
13 accurate; and
14 (B) the
information is, in fact, inaccurate.
15 (3) A person who
clearly and conspicuously specifies to the consumer
16 an address for notices referred to in
subsection (2) shall not be subject
17 to subsection (1); however, nothing in
subsection (2) shall require a per-
18 son to specify such an address.
19 (4) A person who:
(A) Regularly and in the ordinary course of busi-
20 ness furnishes information to one or more
consumer reporting agencies
21 about the person's transactions or
experiences with any consumer; and
22 (B) has furnished
to a consumer reporting agency information that
23 the person determines is not complete or
accurate, shall promptly notify
24 the consumer reporting agency of that
determination and provide to the
25 agency any corrections to that information,
or any additional information,
26 that is necessary to make the information
provided by the person to the
27 agency complete and accurate, and shall not
thereafter furnish to the
28 agency any of the information that remains
not complete or accurate.
29 (5) If the
completeness or accuracy of any information furnished by
30 any person to any consumer reporting agency
is disputed to such person
31 by a consumer, the person may not furnish
the information to any con-
32 sumer reporting agency without notice that
such information is disputed
33 by the consumer.
34 (6) A person who
regularly and in the ordinary course of business
35 furnishes information to a consumer
reporting agency regarding a con-
36 sumer who has a credit account with that
person shall notify the agency
37 of the voluntary closure of the account by
the consumer, in information
38 regularly furnished for the period in which
the account is closed.
39 (7) A person who
furnishes information to a consumer reporting
40 agency regarding a delinquent account being
placed for collection,
41 charged to profit or loss, or subjected to
any similar action, not later than
42 90 days after furnishing the information,
shall notify the agency of the
43 month and year of the commencement of the
delinquency that immedi-
30
1 ately preceded the action.
2 (b)
(1) After receiving notice of a dispute pursuant to subsection
(c)
3 of K.S.A. 50-710, and amendments
thereto, with regard to the complete-
4 ness or accuracy of any information
provided by a person to a consumer
5 reporting agency, the person
shall:
6 (A) Conduct
an investigation with respect to the disputed
7 information;
8 (B) review
all relevant information provided by the consumer re-
9 porting agency pursuant to subsection
(c) of K.S.A. 50-710, and amend-
10 ments thereto;
11 (C) report the
results of the investigation to the consumer reporting
12 agency; and
13 (D) if the
investigation finds that the information is incomplete or
14 inaccurate, report those results to all
other consumer reporting agencies
15 to which the person furnished the
information and that compile and main-
16 tain files on consumers on a nationwide
basis.
17 (2) A person
shall complete all investigations, reviews, and reports
18 required under subsection (b)(1) regarding
information provided by the
19 person to a consumer reporting agency,
before the expiration of the pe-
20 riod under K.S.A. 50-710, and amendments
thereto, within which the
21 consumer reporting agency is required to
complete actions required by
22 that section regarding that
information.
23 Sec.
21. K.S.A. 50-722 is hereby amended to read as follows:
50-722.
24 K.S.A. 50-701 to 50-722, inclusive, and
sections 19 and 20, and amend-
25 ments thereto, may be cited as the fair
credit reporting act.
26 Sec. 22. K.S.A. 50-701, 50-702,
50-703, 50-704, 50-705, 50-706, 50-
27 708, 50-709, 50-710, 50-711, 50-714,
50-715, 50-716, 50-717, 50-718, 50-
28 719, 50-720, 50-721 and 50-722 are hereby
repealed.
29 Sec. 23. This act shall
take effect and be in force from and after its
30 publication in the statute book.