Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2402 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	Session of 2025
2	2	HOUSE BILL No. 2402
3	3	By Committee on Appropriations
4	4	Requested by Representative Rahjes
5	5	3-6
6	6	AN ACT concerning education; creating the blue ribbon commission on
7	7	higher education; establishing the membership and purpose of the
8	8	commission; requiring the submission of preliminary and final reports
9	9	to the legislature on the commission's findings and recommendations.
10	10	Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
11	11	Section 1. (a) There is hereby established the blue ribbon commission
12	12	on higher education. The purpose of the commission shall be to study,
13	13	discuss and make recommendations on higher education in the state of
14	14	Kansas.
15	15	(b) The commission shall consist of 17 members as follows:
16	16	(1) One member appointed by the chairperson of the state board of
17	17	regents;
18	18	(2) one member appointed by the governor;
19	19	(3) one member of the majority party of the house of representatives
20	20	appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
21	21	(4) one member of the majority party of the house of representatives
22	22	appointed by the majority leader of the house of representatives;
23	23	(5) one member of the minority party of the house of representatives
24	24	appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
25	25	(6) one member of the majority party of the senate appointed by the
26	26	president of the senate;
27	27	(7) one member of the majority party of the senate appointed by the
28	28	majority leader of the senate;
29	29	(8) one member of the minority party of the senate appointed by the
30	30	minority leader of the senate;
31	31	(9) one member to represent the regional universities jointly
32	32	appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
33	33	representatives;
34	34	(10) one member to represent the big three universities jointly
35	35	appointed by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
36	36	representatives;
37	37	(11) one member appointed by the Kansas association of technical
38	38	colleges;
39	39	(12) one member appointed by the Kansas association of community
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75	75	colleges;
76	76	(13) one member who is a student attending a postsecondary
77	77	educational institution appointed by the speaker pro tem of the house of
78	78	representatives;
79	79	(14) one member who is the parent of a student attending a
80	80	postsecondary educational institution appointed by the vice president of
81	81	the senate;
82	82	(15) one member who is a higher education expert jointly appointed
83	83	by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of
84	84	representatives;
85	85	(16) one member of the public appointed by the speaker of the house
86	86	of representatives; and
87	87	(17) one member of the public appointed by the president of the
88	88	senate.
89	89	(c) The term of members of the commission shall expire on January
90	90	1, 2027. Any vacancy in members of the commission shall be filled in the
91	91	same manner as the original appointment. The chairperson of the
92	92	commission shall be jointly appointed by the president of the senate and
93	93	the speaker of the house of representatives.
94	94	(d) The commission may meet at any time, at any place within the
95	95	state and through any means upon call of the chairperson. All actions taken
96	96	by the commission shall be made by motion and adopted by a majority of
97	97	those present when there is a quorum. A quorum of the commission is 9
98	98	members.
99	99	(e) Members of the commission attending meetings authorized by the
100	100	commission shall be paid amounts for expenses, mileage and subsistence
101	101	as provided in K.S.A. 75-3223(e), and amendments thereto, by the state
102	102	board of regents.
103	103	(f) The commission shall study, discuss and make recommendations
104	104	on the following:
105	105	(1) Long-term goals and priorities for higher education;
106	106	(2) governing structure, financing, cost, savings and consolidation of
107	107	state board of regents schools, community colleges and technical colleges;
108	108	(3) accessibility and affordability of higher education;
109	109	(4) strengths and weaknesses of higher education and postsecondary
110	110	educational institutions;
111	111	(5) strategies for enrollment and degree completion; and
112	112	(6) strategies for right-sizing and streamlining higher education for
113	113	the future with a student focus.
114	114	(g) (1) On or before January 1, 2026, the commission shall submit to
115	115	the legislature a preliminary report on the commission's findings and
116	116	recommendations for higher education in the state of Kansas.
117	117	(2) On or before January 1, 2027, the commission shall submit to the
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161	161	legislature a final report on the commission's findings and
162	162	recommendations for higher education in the state of Kansas.
163	163	(h) The staff of the state board of regents, office of revisor of statutes,
164	164	the legislative research department and the division of legislative
165	165	administrative services shall provide assistance as may be requested by the
166	166	commission.
167	167	(i) As used in this section, "postsecondary educational institution"
168	168	means any public university, municipal university, community college,
169	169	technical college and institute of technology.
170	170	Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
171	171	publication in the statute book.
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