An Act establishing the Kansas distinguished scholarship program; amending K.S.A. 74- 3278, 74-3279, 74-3280, 74-3281, 74-3282 and 74-3283 and repealing the existing sections.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

Section 1. K.S.A. 74-3278 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3278. As used in this act: (a) ``Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished schol- arship'' means an award under this act by this state to a Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar.

(b) ``Kansas-Rhodes Distinguished Kansas scholar'' means a person who: (1) Is a Kansas resident of Kansas who or the holder of an academic degree awarded by a state educational institution, or both; (2) has earned the distinction of being designated a Brasenose scholar, Chevening scholar, Fulbright scholar, Madison fellow, Marshall scholar, Mellon fel- low, Rhodes scholar or Truman scholar; and who (3) is initially acceptable for entering a state educational institution or who has so entered and is in good standing and making satisfactory progress.

(c) ``State educational institution'' has the meaning ascribed thereto by K.S.A. 76-711, and amendments thereto.

(d) ``Board of regents'' means the state board of regents provided for in the constitution of this state and described in article 32 of chapter 74 of Kansas Statutes Annotated.

(e) ``Semester'' means one of two principal terms, when there are only two principal terms in the academic year, whether or not there are other shorter terms during the same academic year.

Sec. 2. K.S.A. 74-3279 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3279. Within the limits of appropriations therefor, a Kansas-Rhodes Kan- sas distinguished scholarship may be awarded to any qualified Kansas- Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar enrolled full time in a specified degree program at any state educational institution. A Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar may be awarded a Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarship each semester until the requirements of the educational program in which the Kansas-Rhodes scholar is enrolled are completed.

Sec. 3. K.S.A. 74-3280 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3280. The amount of a Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarship awarded to a Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar for the fall and spring semesters shall be the amount of the Kansas-Rhodes scholar's tu- ition and required fees for the period.

Sec. 4. K.S.A. 74-3281 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3281. (a) A Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarship may be paid annually for both the fall and spring semesters, or as otherwise specified by the board of regents. Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholar- ships shall be paid upon certification by the state educational institution that the Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar is enrolled and is qualified. Payments of Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarships shall be made upon vouchers approved by the administrative officer of the board of regents designated by it the board upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports. Payments of Kansas-Rhodes Kansas dis- tinguished scholarships may be made by the issuance of a single warrant to each state educational institution at which a Kansas-Rhodes distin- guished Kansas scholar is enrolled for the total amount of Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarships for all Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholars enrolled at that institution. The director of accounts and reports shall cause such warrant to be delivered to the state educational institution at which such scholar or scholars are enrolled. Upon receipt of such warrant, the state educational institution amount thereof shall credit immediately be credited to the Kansas distinguished scholarship fund of the state educational institution and allocated within the fund to the account of each Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar enrolled at that institution by an. The amount to be credited to the account of each such scholar shall be specified by the board of regents for each such Kansas-Rhodes scholar.

(b) If a Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar discontinues at- tendance before the end of any semester, after the state educational in- stitution has received payment under this section, the state educational institution shall pay to the state: (1) debit the account of the scholar by an amount equal to the entire amount which such scholar would otherwise qualify to have refunded, not to exceed the amount of the payment made credited to the account of the scholar under a Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarship for the semester; or (2) and, if a Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar has received payments under any federal program of student assistance in the semester, less an amount equal to the state's pro rata share of the such entire amount which such scholar would otherwise qualify to have refunded, not to exceed the amount of the payment made under a Kansas-Rhodes scholarship for the semester is attributable to the assistance received by the scholar under such federal program or programs.

(c) All amounts paid to the state debited by a state educational insti- tution under subsection (b) shall be deposited in the state treasury and credited to the Kansas-Rhodes reallocated within the Kansas distin- guished scholarship discontinued attendance fund, which is hereby cre- ated. All expenditures from the Kansas-Rhodes scholarship discontinued attendance fund shall be for Kansas-Rhodes scholarships of the state ed- ucational institution to the account of other distinguished Kansas scholars as specified by the board of regents.

Sec. 5. K.S.A. 74-3282 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3282. The board of regents shall administer this act and shall:

(a) Publicize Kansas distinguished scholarships and provide infor- mation regarding application procedures;

(b) provide application forms;

(c) designate and notify each Kansas-Rhodes distinguished Kansas scholar;

(d) (c) approve and award Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarships;

(e) (d) evaluate the Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished scholarship program annually, and make a report thereon to the governor and the legislature;

(f) (e) require any state educational institution to promptly furnish any information which the board of regents requests relating to admin- istration or effect of this act.

Sec. 6. K.S.A. 74-3283 is hereby amended to read as follows: 74- 3283. Each applicant for a Kansas-Rhodes Kansas distinguished schol- arship, in accordance with rules and regulations of the board of regents, shall:

(a) Be responsible for submission to the board of regents of evidence of designation as a Brasenose scholar, Chevening scholar, Fulbright scholar, Madison fellow, Marshall scholar, Mellon fellow, Rhodes scholar or Truman scholar, whichever of the foregoing is applicable;

(b) complete and file an application for a Kansas-Rhodes Kansas dis- tinguished scholarship;

(c) report promptly to the board of regents any information requested relating to administration of this act.

Sec. 7. K.S.A. 74-3278, 74-3279, 74-3280, 74-3281, 74-3282 and 74- 3283 are hereby repealed.

Sec. 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.

Approved April 3, 1996.