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As Amended by House Committee
Session of 2026
HOUSE BILL No. 2582
By Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
Requested by Taylor Nikkel, on behalf of the Kansas Livestock Association and the
Rural Veterinarian Workforce Task Force
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AN ACT concerning animal care; relating to veterinary services for food
animals in rural Kansas; establishing the developing veterinary
medicine in rural Kansas program within the Kansas department of
agriculture; providing financial assistance and support to veterinarians
practicing in rural communities; establishing an advisory committee;
providing for administration and contracting for program management
and support; establishing the developing veterinary medicine in rural
Kansas program fund.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) (1) Sections 1 through 5, and amendments thereto, shall
be known and may be cited as the developing veterinary medicine in rural
Kansas act.
(2) The purpose of this act is to provide encouragement, opportunities
and incentives for licensed veterinarians to practice veterinary medicine
serving food animal patients in rural Kansas communities and enhance the
long-term retention of veterinarians in such communities.
(b) The provisions of this act shall expire and have no effect on
and after July 1, 2032.
(c) As used in this act:
(1) "Act" means the developing veterinary medicine in rural Kansas
act.
(2) "Advisory committee" means the developing veterinary medicine
in rural Kansas advisory committee established in section 2, and
amendments thereto.
(3) "Food animal" means any animal that:
(A) Is raised for the production of an edible product intended for
consumption by humans;
(B) is itself intended for consumption by humans; or
(C) provides a fiber product for human use.
(4) "Licensed veterinarian" means an individual licensed to practice
veterinary medicine in Kansas.
(5) "Program" means the developing veterinary medicine in rural
Kansas program established pursuant to section 3, and amendments
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thereto.
(6) "Program agreement" means an agreement to meet all the
obligations provided in section 3, and amendments thereto.
(7) "Rural" or "rural community" means any county in Kansas with a
population not exceeding 40,000 or any service at a registered veterinary
premises if food animal patients make up at least 50% of the veterinary
practice conducted at such premises at the time that the person entered into
the program agreement.
Sec. 2. (a) There is hereby established the developing veterinary
medicine in rural Kansas advisory committee. The advisory committee
shall assist in the administration of the program established in section 3,
and amendments thereto, including the review of applications and
selection of participants.
(b) The advisory committee shall consist of seven members appointed
by the secretary of agriculture as follows:
(1) Four veterinarians licensed in Kansas who each practice primarily
in a rural community;
(2) one representative of the Kansas department of agriculture; and
(3) two representatives of the livestock industry.
(c) The advisory committee may meet at any time and place upon the
call of the chairperson appointed by the secretary of agriculture. Vacancies
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
Sec. 3. (a) (1) There is hereby established within the Kansas
department of agriculture the developing veterinary medicine in rural
Kansas program.
(2) The program shall be administered by the Kansas department of
agriculture in coordination with the advisory committee established in
section 2, and amendments thereto.
(3) The program shall be designed to support food animal veterinary
practice in rural Kansas and enhance the long-term retention of
veterinarians in rural communities.
(b) The program shall provide awards of up to $100,000 per
individual or the total of the individual's education debt balance,
whichever is less, subject to appropriations, and require a four-year
commitment from such individual to practice in a rural community.
(c) (1) To be eligible to enter into a program agreement, an individual
shall:
(A) Be a graduate of an accredited college of veterinary medicine;
(B) be licensed or have a pending license to practice veterinary
medicine in Kansas;
(C) have at least $25,000 in education debt at the time of application;
(D) be currently engaged in full-time practice in a rural community or
commence full-time practice in a rural community once such individual is
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licensed to practice veterinary medicine in Kansas; and
(E) not be a participant in the veterinary training program for rural
Kansas pursuant to K.S.A. 76-4,112, and amendments thereto.
(2) An individual with a pending license to practice veterinary
medicine in Kansas may be approved to enter into a program agreement
under this section, except that such individual shall not receive any award
moneys prior to becoming so licensed.
(d) Applications shall be submitted in a form and manner determined
by the advisory committee. The advisory committee shall prioritize
applicants consistent with the purposes of the program and available
appropriations.
(e) Each program agreement shall require the participant to:
(1) Continue practicing as a licensed veterinarian in a rural
community for four continuous years unless such obligation is otherwise
satisfied as provided in this act;
(2) (A) engage with the rural community beyond normal veterinary
practice duties;
(B) participate in professional development activities, as determined
by the advisory committee; and
(C) submit an annual report to the advisory committee describing
such engagement by the participant; and
(3) comply with any additional provisions adopted by the advisory
committee.
(f) Subject to appropriations by the legislature, awards shall be made
in amounts not to exceed $100,000 per individual or the total of the
participant's education debt balance, whichever is less, to be disbursed in
installments over the required service period pursuant to the program
agreement.
(g) The advisory committee may adopt additional provisions,
requirements or conditions for participation in the program as deemed
practicable and appropriate or necessary for implementation or
administration. Any such provisions shall not be inconsistent with this act
or appropriation acts of the legislature.
(h) (1) Each program agreement entered into under this act may
include reasonable provisions addressing breach of contract, including
prorated repayment, timelines for repayment and interest consistent with
this act.
(2) Upon failure to satisfy the obligation to engage in the full-time
practice of veterinary medicine in accordance with this act and the
program agreement, the participant shall repay within 90 days the amount
equal to the amount awarded to such person less a prorated amount based
on any periods of practice of veterinary medicine meeting the
requirements of this act, plus interest at the prime rate of interest plus 2%
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from the date such award accrued. Such interest shall be compounded
annually. The Kansas department of agriculture shall be responsible for
enforcing the agreement and collecting any damages or penalties owed.
(i) An obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine in
accordance with this section shall be postponed during any period of
temporary medical disability during which the obligated individual is
unable to practice veterinary medicine due to such disability or during any
other period of postponement agreed to or determined in the program
agreement. An obligation shall be satisfied if:
(1) The obligation to engage in the practice of veterinary medicine
required by this section or the program agreement has been completed;
(2) the obligated individual is unable to practice veterinary medicine
because of permanent disability; or
(3) the obligated individual dies.
(j) On or before February 15 of each year, the secretary of agriculture
shall submit a report to the senate standing committee on agriculture and
natural resources and the house standing committee on agriculture and
natural resources, or any successor committees, that details the
participation in the program, the amount of awards that have been
distributed and the location of program participants.
Sec. 4. (a) The secretary of agriculture may contract with one
statewide nonprofit veterinary medical association to:
(1) Provide administrative support to the advisory committee for the
application and selection process pursuant to section 3, and amendments
thereto; and
(2) issue awards from the fund established pursuant to section 5, and
amendments thereto.
(b) The secretary shall assess an administrative fine against any
nonprofit organization awarded a contract under this section for failure to
satisfy the requirements of the program or for the intentional or reckless
misuse of any funds awarded by the terms of such contract. The state
treasurer shall deposit any moneys recovered from any such fine into the
state treasury to the credit of the state general fund.
Sec. 5. (a) There is hereby established in the state treasury the
developing veterinary medicine in rural Kansas program fund. Such fund
shall be administered by the secretary of agriculture, subject to any
contract entered into by the secretary pursuant to section 4, and
amendments thereto.
(b) All moneys credited to the developing veterinary medicine in
rural Kansas program fund shall be expended only for awards and
administrative expenses necessary to implement and administer the
program for individuals who enter into a program agreement pursuant to
this act. All expenditures from the developing veterinary medicine in rural
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Kansas program fund shall be made in accordance with appropriation acts
upon warrants of the director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to
vouchers approved by the secretary of agriculture or the secretary's
designee. All moneys received by the Kansas department of agriculture for
the program shall be deposited in the state treasury in accordance with
K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto. Upon receipt of each such
remittance, the state treasurer shall deposit the entire amount in the state
treasury to the credit of the developing veterinary medicine in rural Kansas
program fund.
Sec. 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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