FAQ - PUBLICATIONS

Kansas Administrative Regulations

Q.What are K.A.R.s?
A. Regulations are enacted by an agency to implement or interpret legislation. Statutory requirements for filing administrative regulations are found in the rules and regulations filing act, K.S.A. 77-415 et seq. All Kansas Administrative Regulations (K.A.R.s) are filed in the Secretary of State's office. We publish the regulations in the Kansas Register, the state's official newspaper, and in the volumes or supplement to the Kansas Administrative Regulations.

Q. How are K.A.R.s filed?
A. A state agency must take a number of steps in order to file regulations. Each agency is given authority via statute to enact rules and regulations. The agency writes the regulations, which are reviewed by the Department of Administration for grammar, spelling and organization. After the Department of Administration approves the regulations, the agency submits the regulations to the Attorney General's office for approval as to legality. The Secretary of State's office files and publishes the final rules and regulations.

Our office first files proposed rules and regulations. An agency sends us:

a notice of hearing on the proposed regulations,

two copies of the proposed regulations--stamped by the Department of Administration and the Attorney General's office, and

two copies of the economic impact statement.

The notice must be published in the Kansas Register at least 60 days prior to the date of the hearing. The agency may receive comments during this notice period and may make revisions to the regulations as a result of those comments.

When the agency is satisfied that the regulations are in the proper final form, it adopts and files the regulations. The agency sends us:

the original and two copies of the certificate of adoption,

the original and two copies of the approved and adopted regulations, and

the original and two copies of the economic impact statement.

If all requirements are met, the regulations are published in the Kansas Register and become effective 15 days after publication--unless a later date is specified in the body of the regulation.
For more detailed information regarding the filing of administrative regulations, please see the Department of Administration's Policy and Procedure Manual for the filing of Kansas Administrative Regulations.

Q. How do I find the current version of a published K.A.R.?
A. . The Secretary of State's office publishes adopted regulations in the K.A.R. volumes and supplement. A full set of volumes is published every third year. A K.A.R. supplement is published each of the other two years. The K.A.R. volumes contain the most recent version of all regulations as filed in our office by December 31 of a particular year. For example, the 2000 volumes contain the most recent version of all regulations filed in our office by December 31, 1999. The 2001 supplement contains the most recent version of all regulations filed in 2000, and supplements the 2000 volumes. The 2002 supplement contains the most recent version of all regulations filed in 2000 and 2001, and replaces the 2001 supplement. As new, amended or revoked regulations are received, they are published in the Kansas Register. Therefore, a person should first check the Kansas Register, then the current supplement, then the current volume to find the most recent version of a particular regulation. If the regulation is found at any of these sequential steps, stop and consider that version the most recent.

Q. How do I purchase the K.A.R. books?
A. Call the Secretary of State's office at (785) 296-4557 or obtain an order form online. You may mail the form with payment to the Secretary of State's office. Fax orders are accepted if Visa or MasterCard information is provided

Q. Can I access the K.A.R.s on the Web?
A. The Kansas Administrative Regulations can be accessed online through the Information Network of Kansas (INK). INK's site includes regulations that have been published in the K.A.R. volumes or supplements. Regulations filed after those published in the books can be found in the Kansas Register. Be sure to check the current Kansas Register index for regulations filed after publication of the volume or supplement

Q. Who do I contact for additional information?
A. If you have additional questions, contact Barb Dominguez at (785) 296-2114, or via e-mail at BarbD@kssos.org.

Kansas Statutes Annotated

Q. What are Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.)?
A. The Kansas Statutes are laws passed by the Legislature.

Q. How do I obtain K.S.A.s?
A. Statutes are published by the Kansas Revisor of Statutes, but distributed by our office. To place an order for K.S.A.s, contact our Elections Division at (785) 296-4557 or go to the form online.

Kansas Register

Q. What is the Kansas Register?
A. The Kansas Register is the official state newspaper of Kansas. This weekly journal contains everything from new state laws being enacted to various public notices. Other items available in the Kansas Register include:

Q. When is the Kansas Register published?
A. The Kansas Register is published every Thursday, 52 weeks a year.

Q. How do I submit items for the Kansas Register?
A.

Q. What does it cost to publish an item in the Kansas Register?
A. The price for publishing in the Kansas Register is $7 per column inch or portion thereof. You will be billed after publication. If you have questions concerning price, call Nancy Reddy at (785) 296-3489.

Q. How can I subscribe to the Kansas Register?
A. You can order a hard copy subscription to the Kansas Register by calling Nancy Reddy at (785) 296-3489 or downloading the order form. A one-year subscription is $80 (Kansas residents must include applicable state and local sales tax). Checks should be made payable to the Kansas Register. Visa and MasterCard also are accepted. Payment is due in advance. A free sample is available upon request.

Q. Can I access the Kansas Register on the Web?
A. The Kansas Register is available in PDF format from the Secretary of State's Web site at http://www.kssos.org/pubs/pubs_kansas_register.asp.

Q. Who do I contact for additional questions?
A. If you have additional questions, contact Nancy Reddy at (785) 296-3489 or via e- mail at kansasregister@kssos.org.

Session Laws

Q. What are Kansas Session Laws?
A. Enacted bills are published in the Kansas Session Laws. Generally, the new laws become effective July 1 of each year.

Q. How do I obtain the Session Laws?
A. To place an order for Session Laws, contact our Elections Division at (785) 296-4557 or go to the form online. Session Laws can also be accessed online through the Information Network of Kansas (INK).

Q. Who do I contact for additional information?
A. If you have additional questions, contact Barb Dominguez at (785) 296-2114, or via e-mail at BarbD@kssos.org.