Interaction with the Legislature and Other State Agencies, Kansas Board of Regents Policy

1. Legislative Appearances and Committee Hearings

State university employees should make every effort to accommodate legislative committee requests to provide expert testimony on proposed legislation. The university shall notify the Board President and Chief Executive Officer of the invitation.

2. Legislative Requests and Proposed Legislation (Also see FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION)
    
   1. All requests for funds, programs, changes in legislation and new legislation affecting the Board and system institutions shall be submitted to the Board for consideration no later than the November meeting of the Board. Emergency situations may warrant special exceptions, but to the extent possible, no request for legislation during the ongoing legislative session shall be submitted after the March meeting of the Board. Non-budgetary legislative items shall be submitted by the government relations officer of the institution to the Board’s director of government relations and shall contain actual bill language when possible. Requests for funds, programs, changes in legislation and new legislation that are approved by the Board shall be included in the Board’s annual legislative proposals. Requests that are not approved by the Board shall not be submitted to the Legislature for introduction.
       
   2. Once approval has been granted, all institutions are authorized to work for these requests and each institution is expected to support the entire request. Conversely, all institutions are prohibited from requesting or working for additional legislation or funds.
       
   3. When legislation having an effect on the operation of the higher education system, proposed by someone or some group other than the Board, is brought to the Board’s attention, it shall be the responsibility of the Board to make a decision as to whether the position of the system is that of support, non-support, or opposition.
       
3. Legislative Post Audit Reports
    
   1. Each state university, upon receiving notification from the Legislative Division of Post Audit that a performance or financial audit of the university is to be conducted, shall forward such notification to the Board President and Chief Executive Officer. Each state university shall submit a written report to the Board, in accordance with the schedule maintained on the Board of Regents’ website, detailing progress during the preceding calendar year toward implementation of accepted Post Audit recommendations. This report shall be made on an annual basis until all accepted recommendations have been fully implemented
       
   2. Discussion of pending or anticipated Legislative Post Audits shall be a standing item on the Board’s Fiscal Affairs and Audit Committee agenda.
       
4. ​​​Information Requests from Other State Agencies
    
   1. System-wide Requests: Requests directed to state universities for system-wide information from other state agencies or other branches of state government shall be transmitted through the Board office. State universities receiving requests directly from other state agencies or branches of state government shall advise the requesting party of this policy and advise the Board office of the request. When time is not sufficient to allow transmission of responses through the Board office, responses may be submitted directly to the requesting party with copies to the Board office.
       
   2. University-Specific Requests: Responses to requests received by a state university for information related specifically to that university may be sent directly to the requesting party, with a copy to the Board office.
       
5. Attorney General Opinions

   Any state university or state university official wishing to seek an opinion from the Attorney General shall do so by making a request through the office of the General Counsel of the Board.

6. Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission Opinions
   
   Any state university or state university official wishing to seek an opinion from the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission shall do so by making a request through the office of the General Counsel of the Board.
    
7. State and Federal Court Actions
    
   1. Any state university intending to sue another state university or submit a brief in opposition to another state university in a case that is pending before any state or federal court shall, before filing suit or as soon as aware of the opposition but no later than requesting leave to file a brief, notify the Board President and Chief Executive Officer. The university chief executive officer shall fulfill this notification responsibility.
       
   2. Any state university intending to appeal a state court or federal court decision shall, before the notice of appeal is filed, notify the Attorney General’s office.

CONTACT:

Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson St., Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612-1368
785-296-3421
Kansas Board of Regents

APPROVED BY:

Kansas Board of Regents

APPROVED ON:

1987-05-14

EFFECTIVE ON:

1987-05-14

REVIEW CYCLE:

Annual (As Needed)

RELATED STATUTES, REGULATIONS, AND/OR POLICIES: