As used in Kan. Stat. Ann. 2023 Supp.79-32,290 through 79-32,293, and amendments thereto:

(a) “Aerospace” means relating to vehicles or objects for the purpose of suborbital, orbital or space flight, whether for private or public, or civil or defense-related purposes.

(b) “Aviation” means relating to vehicles or objects, except parachutes, for the purpose of controlled flight through the air, regardless of how propelled or controlled, or whether manned or unmanned, whether for private or public, or civil or defense-related purposes.

(c) “Aviation sector” means a private or public organization engaged in the manufacture of aviation or aerospace hardware or software, aviation or aerospace maintenance, aviation or aerospace repair and overhaul, supply of parts to the aviation or aerospace industry, provision of services and support relating to the aviation or aerospace industry, research and development of aviation or aerospace technology and systems, and the education and training of aviation or aerospace personnel.

(d) “Compensation” means payments in the form of contract labor for which the payor is required to provide a federal tax form 1099 to the person paid, wages subject to withholding tax paid to a part-time employee or full-time employee, or salary or other remuneration. “Compensation” does not include employer-provided retirement, medical or healthcare benefits, reimbursement for travel, meals, lodging or any other expense.

(e) “Institution” means a state educational institution, municipal university, institute of technology, community college or technical college, as those terms are defined in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-3201b, and amendments thereto, or an educational institution, municipal university, institute of technology, community college or technical college within the meaning of those terms as defined in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-3201b, and amendments thereto, but located in or established under the laws of another state or any other public or private college or university that is accredited by a regional accrediting body, the engineering accreditation commission of the accreditation board for engineering and technology (ABET) or the federal aviation administration.

(f) “Qualified employee” means any person newly employed on a full-time basis by or first contracting with a qualified employer on a full-time basis on or after January 1, 2022, who has been awarded an undergraduate or graduate degree, or a technical degree or certificate from a qualified program by an institution.

(g) “Qualified employer” means a sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, other legally recognized business entity or public entity whose principal business activity involves the aviation sector.

(h) “Qualified program” means: (1) A program that has been accredited by the engineering accreditation commission of the accreditation board for engineering and technology (ABET), the federal aviation administration or a regional accrediting body and that awards an undergraduate or graduate degree; or (2) a program within the meaning of an associate of applied science degree program or career technical education program, within the meaning of those programs as defined in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 74-32,407, and amendments thereto, whether a state or out-of-state program that results in the awarding of a degree or certificate that prepares the graduate for gainful employment with a qualified employer.

(i) “Tuition” means the amount paid for enrollment, program specific course fees and instruction in a qualified program that includes both amounts paid during participation in a qualified program or tuition debt upon completion of a qualified program. “Tuition” does not include the cost of books, fees, other than program specific course fees, or room and board.