Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky SB47: AN ACT relating to in the line of duty death benefits.
Status: In committee, February 19, 2026
Amend KRS 61.315 to define "rescue squad personnel"; expand eligibility for in the line of duty death benefits to rescue squad personnel; require the Division of Emergency Management to promulgate administrative regulations establishing necessary criteria and procedures; amend KRS 164.2841 to define "rescue squad personnel"; expand eligibility for tuition and fee exemption to dependents of rescue squad personnel who died in the line of duty; amend KRS 342.316 to conform.
What the bill says
An act relating to in the line of duty death benefits.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to in the line of duty death benefits. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 61.315 is amended to read as follows: (1) As used in this section: (a) "Police officer" means every paid police officer, sheriff, or deputy sheriff, corrections employee with the power of a peace officer pursuant to KRS 196.037, any metropolitan or urban-county correctional officer with the power of a peace officer pursuant to KRS 446.010, any jailer or deputy jailer, any auxiliary police officer appointed pursuant to KRS 95.445, any police officer of a public institution of postsecondary education appointed pursuant to KRS 164.950, any school resource officer as defined in KRS 158.441, or any citation or safety officer appointed pursuant to KRS 83A.087 and 83A.088, elected to office, or employed by any county, airport board created pursuant to KRS Chapter 183, city, local board of education, or by the state; (b) "Firefighter" means every paid firefighter or volunteer firefighter who is employed by or volunteers his or her services to the state, airport board created pursuant to KRS Chapter 183, any county, city, fire district, or any other organized fire department recognized, pursuant to KRS 95A.262, as a fire department operated and maintained on a nonprofit basis in the interest of the health …
Sponsors
- Matthew Deneen (R, SD-010) · primary sponsor
- Greg Elkins (R, SD-028)
- Keturah Herron (D, SD-035)
- Scott Madon (R, SD-029)
- Stephen Meredith (R, SD-005)
- Gerald Neal (D, SD-033)
- Matt Nunn (R, SD-017)
- Steve Rawlings (R, SD-011)
- Brandon Storm (R, SD-021)
- Lindsey Tichenor (R, SD-006)
- Phillip Wheeler (R, SD-031)
- Gex Williams (R, SD-020)
Latest actions
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : received in House
- : 3rd reading, passed 36-0
- : posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 18 2026
- : 2nd reading, to Rules
- : reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
- : to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
- : to Committee on Committees (S)
- : introduced in Senate
Votes
- Senate: PASS SB 47 RSN# 3832 (February 18, 2026): 36 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Public Protection, Education, Higher, Deaths, Universities And Colleges, Education, Vocational, Education, Finance, Treasurer, Disasters And Recovery Efforts
Common questions
- What is SB47?
- SB47 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to in the line of duty death benefits.
- What does SB47 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to in the line of duty death benefits.
- What is the status of SB47?
- In committee as of February 19, 2026. Latest action: to Committee on Committees (H) (February 19, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB47?
- Matthew Deneen (R, SD-010), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB47?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/sb47.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.