Printable Format75-789. Regulatory relief division; establishment; duties; advisory committee; report to legislature. (a) (1) There is hereby established within the office of the attorney general a regulatory relief division to administer and support the operations of the general regulatory sandbox program.
(2) The attorney general shall establish and maintain a principal office for the regulatory relief division within the state, appoint employees and agents and prescribe the duties and compensation for each employee and agent subject to appropriations. The regulatory relief division shall be headed by a director appointed by the attorney general. Such director shall report to the attorney general and may appoint staff subject to the approval of the attorney general. Appointments of employees by the attorney general or by the director and approved by the attorney general shall be limited to one full-time and one part-time employee, unless additional staff is requested by and authorized pursuant to appropriations as approved by the house committee on appropriations and the senate committee on ways and means.
(b) (1) The regulatory relief division shall:
(A) Administer the provisions of this section;
(B) administer the general regulatory sandbox program; and
(C) act as a liaison between private businesses and applicable agencies to identify rules and regulations that could be waived or suspended under the general regulatory sandbox program.
(2) The regulatory relief division may:
(A) Review state laws and rules and regulations that may unnecessarily inhibit the creation or success of new and existing companies and provide recommendations to the governor and the legislature on amending or repealing such state laws and rules and regulations;
(B) create a framework for analyzing the risk level to the health, safety and financial well-being of consumers related to repealing state laws and repealing or waiving the requirements of rules and regulations identified in subparagraph (A);
(C) propose potential reciprocity agreements between states that use or are proposing to use similar general regulatory sandbox programs as described in this section;
(D) adopt rules and regulations regarding the administration of the general regulatory sandbox program, including rules and regulations that:
(i) Administer the general regulatory sandbox program; and
(ii) set forth the general regulatory sandbox program application process and reporting requirements; and
(E) consult and cooperate with other agencies in the state relating to the general regulatory sandbox program.
(c) (1) There is hereby established the general regulatory sandbox program advisory committee. The advisory committee shall have 11 members as follows:
(A) Five members who represent business interests from a variety of industries, appointed by the director;
(B) two members appointed by the director who represent state agencies that license or regulate businesses;
(C) one member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate;
(D) one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
(E) one member of the senate, appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and
(F) one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
(2) Appointments to the advisory committee made by the director shall be for four-year renewable terms. Appointments to the advisory committee made by the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall be for two-year renewable terms. Any vacancy in the membership of the advisory committee shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as provided in this paragraph for the original appointment. Notwithstanding the requirements of this paragraph, the director may adjust the length of terms of appointments to the advisory committee, so that approximately half of the advisory committee is appointed every two years.
(3) The director shall select a chairperson from among the members of the advisory committee on an annual basis. A quorum of the advisory committee shall be a majority of the appointed members. All actions of the advisory committee shall be by motion adopted by a majority of those members present when there is a quorum.
(4) The advisory committee may meet at any time and at any place within the state upon the call of the chairperson or a majority of the members of the advisory committee.
(5) The advisory committee shall advise and make recommendations to the regulatory relief division as described in this section.
(6) The regulatory relief division shall provide assistance to the advisory committee to prepare and publish meeting agendas, public notices, meeting minutes and any research, data or information requested by the advisory committee.
(7) The advisory committee, in accordance with K.S.A. 75-4319, and amendments thereto, may recess for a closed or executive meeting when it is considering matters relating to applications submitted by applicants.
(8) If approved by the legislative coordinating committee, legislative members of the committee attending meetings authorized by the committee shall be paid amounts for expenses, mileage and subsistence as provided in K.S.A. 75-3223(e), and amendments thereto.
(d) Beginning in 2027, on or before the first day of each regular legislative session, the director of the regulatory relief division shall prepare and submit a report to the senate standing committee on commerce, the house standing committee on commerce, labor and economic development and the joint committee on administrative rules and regulations or their successor committees. Such report shall include:
(1) Information regarding each participant in the general regulatory sandbox program, including which industries each participant represents;
(2) the anticipated or actual cost savings that each participant experienced due to such participant's participation in the general regulatory sandbox program;
(3) recommendations regarding any laws or rules and regulations that should be repealed or amended;
(4) information regarding outcomes for consumers; and
(5) recommendations for changes to the general regulatory sandbox program or other duties of the regulatory relief division.
History: L. 2025, ch. 107, ยง 2; July 1.