§ 50-702 — Definitions and rules of construction

The following words and phrases when used in the fair credit reporting act shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
(a) The term "person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, estate, cooperative, association, government or governmental subdivision or agency, or other entity.
(b) The term "consumer" means an individual.
(c) The term "consumer report" means any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumer's credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living which is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumer's eligibility for credit or insurance to be used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, or employment purposes, or other purposes authorized under K.S.A. 50-703, and amendments thereto. The term does not include:
(1) Any report containing information solely as to transactions or experiences between the consumer and the person making the report;
(2) any authorization or approval of a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly by the issuer of a credit card or similar device; or
(3) any report in which a person who has been requested by a third party to make a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly to a consumer conveys that decision with respect to such request, if the third party advises the consumer of the name and address of the person to whom the request was made and such person makes the disclosures to the consumer required under K.S.A. 50-714, and amendments thereto.
(d) The term "investigative consumer report" means a consumer report or portion thereof in which information on a consumer's character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living is obtained through personal interviews with neighbors, friends, or associates of the consumer reported on or with others with whom the consumer is acquainted or who may have knowledge concerning any such items of information. However, such information shall not include specific factual information on a consumer's credit record obtained directly from a creditor of the consumer or from a consumer reporting agency when such information was obtained directly from a creditor of the consumer or from the consumer.
(e) The term "consumer reporting agency" means any person which, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and which uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.
(f) The term "file," when used in connection with information on any consumer, means all of the information on that consumer recorded and retained by a consumer reporting agency regardless of how the information is stored.
(g) The term "employment purposes" when used in connection with a consumer report means a report used for the purpose of evaluating a consumer for employment, promotion, reassignment or retention as an employee.
(h) The term "medical information" means information or records obtained, with the consent of the individual to whom it relates, from licensed physicians or medical practitioners, hospitals, clinics, or other medical or medically related facilities.
(i) The term "clear and proper identification" means information generally deemed sufficient to identify a person.
(j) The term "security freeze" means a notice placed on a consumer report, at the request of the consumer and subject to certain exceptions, that prohibits a consumer reporting agency from releasing the consumer's consumer report or credit score relating to the extension of credit.
(k) The term "protected consumer" means an individual who is:
(1) Under the age of 16 years at the time a request for the placement of a security freeze is made under K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 50-725, and amendments thereto; or
(2) an individual for whom a guardian or conservator has been appointed.
(l) The term "record" means a compilation of information about a protected consumer that satisfies all of the following:
(1) The compilation identifies the protected consumer; and
(2) the compilation is created by a consumer reporting agency solely for the purpose of complying with K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 50-725, and amendments thereto.
(m) The term "security freeze for a protected consumer" means one of the following:
(1) If a consumer reporting agency does not have a file pertaining to a protected consumer, a restriction placed on the protected consumer's record that prohibits the consumer reporting agency from releasing the protected consumer's record; or
(2) if a consumer reporting agency has a file pertaining to the protected consumer, a restriction placed on the protected consumer's consumer report that prohibits the consumer reporting agency from releasing the protected consumer's consumer report or any information derived from the protected consumer's consumer report.
(n) The term "sufficient proof of authority" means documentation that shows a representative has authority to act on behalf of a protected consumer, including any of the following:
(1) An order issued by a court;
(2) a lawfully executed and valid power of attorney; or
(3) a written, notarized statement signed by a representative that expressly describes the authority of the representative to act on behalf of a protected consumer.
(o) The term "sufficient proof of identification" means information or documentation that identifies a protected consumer or a representative of a protected consumer, including any of the following:
(1) A social security number or a copy of a social security card issued by the social security administration; or
(2) a certified or official copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate.

Legislative History

L. 1973, ch. 85, § 137; L. 2006, ch. 149, § 11; L. 2009, ch. 112, § 1; L. 2016, ch. 37, § 2; January 1, 2017.