§ 74-32,194 — State authorization reciprocity agreement; authority, powers and duties of the state board of regents; state authorization reciprocity fund; rules and regulations

(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Community college" means any community college established under the laws of this state;
(2) "distance education" means any course or program offered by a postsecondary educational institution to students who are located in a state in which the postsecondary educational institution does not have a physical presence;
(3) "independent postsecondary educational institution" means any postsecondary educational institution that was granted approval to confer academic or honorary degrees by the state board of education under the provisions of K.S.A. 17-6105, prior to its repeal;
(4) "municipal university" means Washburn university of Topeka or any other municipal university established under the laws of this state;
(5) "out-of-state postsecondary educational institution" means the same as defined in K.S.A. 74-32,163, and amendments thereto;
(6) "postsecondary educational institution" means any degree-granting public postsecondary educational institution, independent postsecondary educational institution, private postsecondary educational institution and out-of-state postsecondary educational institution;
(7) "private postsecondary educational institution" means the same as defined in K.S.A. 74-32,163, and amendments thereto;
(8) "public postsecondary educational institution" means any state educational institution, municipal university, community college and technical college, and includes any entity resulting from the consolidation or affiliation of any two or more of such public postsecondary educational institutions;
(9) "state authorization reciprocity agreement" means an agreement among states, districts and territories that establishes comparable standards for providing distance education from their postsecondary educational institutions to out-of-state students;
(10) "state board" means the state board of regents;
(11) "state educational institution" means the same as defined in K.S.A. 76-711, and amendments thereto; and
(12) "technical college" means any technical college established under the laws of this state.
(b) The state board is authorized to enter into the state authorization reciprocity agreement for the purposes of:
(1) Authorizing and allowing any postsecondary educational institution with a physical presence in Kansas to voluntarily participate in the state authorization reciprocity agreement and provide distance education in other states in accordance with the terms of the state authorization reciprocity agreement; and
(2) authorizing and allowing any postsecondary educational institution that does not have a physical presence in Kansas and that is a participating member of the state authorization reciprocity agreement to deliver distance education in this state in accordance with the terms of the state authorization reciprocity agreement, notwithstanding the provisions of the private and out-of-state postsecondary education institution act.
(c) A postsecondary educational institution shall be deemed to have a "physical presence" in the state if the postsecondary education institution:
(1) Has established a campus, branch instructional facility or administrative office within the boundaries of the state;
(2) requires students to physically meet for instruction within the state more than twice per full term;
(3) provides information from a physical site located in Kansas;
(4) offers short courses within the state requiring 10 or more hours of attendance by students; or
(5) maintains a mailing address or phone exchange in Kansas.
(d) The state board may assume and exercise all powers, duties and responsibilities associated with and required or authorized under the terms of the state authorization reciprocity agreement for any postsecondary educational institution that has a physical presence in Kansas and has voluntarily submitted to the jurisdiction of the state board to the extent required to enable the postsecondary educational institution to participate in the state authorization reciprocity agreement.
(e) The state board may terminate membership or participation of any postsecondary educational institution with a physical presence in Kansas that is participating in the state authorization reciprocity agreement if the state board has reasonable cause to believe that the postsecondary educational institution is in violation of any provision of this section or the agreement.
(f) The state board shall be authorized to recover actual costs incurred in the course of investigating and prosecuting complaints against a postsecondary educational institution that is participating in the state authorization reciprocity agreement, and shall be able to recoup tuition on behalf of any student. The amount collected by the state board for the actual costs related to the investigation and prosecution of the complaint or for tuition on behalf of any student, as certified by the president or chief executive officer of the state board to the state treasurer, shall be deposited in the state treasury in accordance with the provisions of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto, and credited to the state authorization reciprocity fund.
(g) There is hereby established in the state treasury the state authorization reciprocity fund, which shall be administered by the state board. All expenditures from the state authorization reciprocity fund shall be for reimbursement to the state board for any costs associated with investigating and prosecuting complaints and recovering tuition on behalf of any student under the provisions of the state authorization reciprocity agreement. All expenditures from the state authorization reciprocity fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the president or chief executive officer of the state board or the designee of the president or chief executive officer of the state board.
(h) Nothing in this section shall preclude the state board from exercising its authority under any other provision of law, nor the attorney general from pursuing violations of any provisions of the Kansas consumer protection act.
(i) The state board may adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

Legislative History

L. 2014, ch. 8, § 1; L. 2021, ch. 17, § 22; July 1.