77-421. Notice and hearing; adoption procedure; new rulemaking proceedings, when required; minutes and records; open meetings required. (a) (1) Except as provided by subsection (a)(2), (a)(3) or (a)(4), prior to the adoption of any permanent rule and regulation or any temporary rule and regulation that is required to be adopted as a temporary rule and regulation in order to comply with the requirements of the statute authorizing the same and after any such rule and regulation has been approved by the secretary of administration, the attorney general and the director of the budget, the adopting state agency shall give at least 60 days' notice of its intended action in the Kansas register and to the secretary of state and to the joint committee on administrative rules and regulations established by K.S.A. 77-436, and amendments thereto. The notice shall be provided to the secretary of state and to the chairperson, vice chairperson, ranking minority member of the joint committee and legislative research department and shall be published in the Kansas register. A complete copy of all proposed rules and regulations and the complete economic impact statement required by K.S.A. 77-416, and amendments thereto, shall accompany the notice sent to the secretary of state. The notice shall contain:

(A) A summary of the substance of the proposed rules and regulations;

(B) a summary of the economic impact statement indicating the estimated economic impact on governmental agencies or units, persons subject to the proposed rules and regulations and the general public;

(C) a summary of the environmental benefit statement, if applicable, indicating the need for the proposed rules and regulations;

(D) the address where a complete copy of the proposed rules and regulations, the complete economic impact statement, the environmental benefit statement, if applicable, required by K.S.A. 77-416, and amendments thereto, may be obtained;

(E) the time and place of the public hearing to be held; the manner in which interested parties may present their views; and

(F) a specific statement that the period of 60 days' notice constitutes a public comment period for the purpose of receiving written public comments on the proposed rules and regulations and the address where such comments may be submitted to the state agency. Publication of such notice in the Kansas register shall constitute notice to all parties affected by the rules and regulations.

(2) Prior to adopting any rule and regulation that establishes seasons and fixes bag, creel, possession, size or length limits for the taking or possession of wildlife and after such rule and regulation has been approved by the secretary of administration and the attorney general, the secretary of wildlife and parks shall give at least 30 days' notice of its intended action in the Kansas register and to the secretary of state and to the joint committee on administrative rules and regulations created pursuant to K.S.A. 77-436, and amendments thereto. All other provisions of subsection (a)(1) shall apply to such rules and regulations, except that the statement required by subsection (a)(1)(F) shall state that the period of 30 days' notice constitutes a public comment period on such rules and regulations.

(3) Prior to adopting any rule and regulation that establishes any permanent prior authorization on a prescription-only drug pursuant to K.S.A. 39-7,120, and amendments thereto, or which concerns coverage or reimbursement for pharmaceuticals under the pharmacy program of the state medicaid plan, and after such rule and regulation has been approved by the director of the budget, the secretary of administration and the attorney general, the secretary of health and environment shall give at least 30 days' notice of its intended action in the Kansas register and to the secretary of state and to the joint committee on administrative rules and regulations created pursuant to K.S.A. 77-436, and amendments thereto. All other provisions of subsection (a)(1) shall apply to such rules and regulations, except that the statement required by subsection (a)(1)(F) shall state that the period of 30 days' notice constitutes a public comment period on such rules and regulations.

(4) Prior to adopting any rule and regulation pursuant to subsection (c), the state agency shall give at least 60 days' notice of its intended action in the Kansas register and to the secretary of state and to the joint committee on administrative rules and regulations created pursuant to K.S.A. 77-436, and amendments thereto. All other provisions of subsection (a)(1) shall apply to such rules and regulations, except that the statement required by subsection (a)(1)(F) shall state that the period of notice constitutes a public comment period on such rules and regulations.

(b) (1) On the date of the hearing, all interested parties shall be given reasonable opportunity to present their views or arguments on adoption of the rule and regulation, either orally or in writing. At the time it adopts or amends a rule and regulation, the state agency shall prepare a concise statement of the principal reasons for adopting the rule and regulation or amendment thereto, including:

(A) The agency's reasons for not accepting substantial arguments made in testimony and comments; and

(B) the reasons for any substantial change between the text of the proposed adopted or amended rule and regulation contained in the published notice of the proposed adoption or amendment of the rule and regulation and the text of the rule and regulation as finally adopted.

(2) Whenever a state agency is required by any other statute to give notice and hold a hearing before adopting, amending, reviving or revoking a rule and regulation, the state agency, in lieu of following the requirements or statutory procedure set out in such other law, may give notice and hold hearings on proposed rules and regulations in the manner prescribed by this section.

(3) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the secretary of corrections may give notice or an opportunity to be heard to any inmate in the custody of the secretary with regard to the adoption of any rule and regulation.

(c) (1) The agency shall initiate new rulemaking proceedings under this act, if a state agency proposes to adopt a final rule and regulation that:

(A) Differs in subject matter or effect in any material respect from the rule and regulation as originally proposed; and

(B) is not a logical outgrowth of the rule and regulation as originally proposed.

(2) For the purposes of this provision, a rule and regulation is not the logical outgrowth of the rule and regulation as originally proposed if a person affected by the final rule and regulation was not put on notice that such person's interests were affected in the rule making.

(d) When, pursuant to this or any other statute, a state agency holds a hearing on the adoption of a proposed rule and regulation, the agency shall cause written minutes or other records, including a record maintained on sound recording tape or on any electronically accessed media or any combination of written or electronically accessed media records of the hearing to be made. If the proposed rule and regulation is adopted and becomes effective, the state agency shall maintain, for not less than three years after its effective date, such minutes or other records, together with any recording, transcript or other record made of the hearing and a list of all persons who appeared at the hearing and who they represented, any written testimony presented at the hearing and any written comments submitted during the public comment period.

(e) No rule and regulation shall be adopted by a board, commission, authority or other similar body except at a meeting which is open to the public and notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no rule and regulation shall be adopted by a board, commission, authority or other similar body unless it receives approval by roll call vote of a majority of the total membership thereof.

History: L. 1965, ch. 506, § 7; L. 1967, ch. 485, § 1; L. 1972, ch. 354, § 2; L. 1976, ch. 415, § 2; L. 1977, ch. 321, § 7; L. 1978, ch. 120, § 25; L. 1980, ch. 304, § 4; L. 1981, ch. 324, § 33; L. 1982, ch. 386, § 4; L. 1983, ch. 307, § 4; L. 1987, ch. 362, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 366, § 34; L. 1995, ch. 171, § 4; L. 1998, ch. 82, § 1; L. 2002, ch. 180, § 9; L. 2010, ch. 95, § 9; L. 2011, ch. 14, § 2; L. 2012, ch. 16, § 38; L. 2012, ch. 166, § 21; L. 2018, ch. 117, § 4; L. 2022, ch. 61, § 5; L. 2023, ch. 7, § 137; July 1.