Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB445: AN ACT relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
Status: In committee, January 29, 2026
Appropriate $221.4 million, $18.7 million, and $16 million in fiscal year 2026-2027 for the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS) nonhazardous pension fund, the KERS hazardous pension fund, and the State Police Retirement System pension fund, respectively, to provide a one-time 2% COLA effective July 1, 2026; APPROPRIATION; EMERGENCY.
What the bill says
An act relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 61.691 to the contrary and subject to limitations established by this section, there is hereby appropriated General Fund moneys in the amount of $221,400,000 in fiscal year 2026-2027 from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund Account established by KRS 48.705 to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority to be applied to the Kentucky Employees Retirement Fund of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System established by KRS 61.515 to prefund in fiscal year 20262027 and effective July 1, 2026, a two percent increase in the monthly retirement allowances paid from the Kentucky Employees Retirement System to each recipient for service in a nonhazardous position. Section 2. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 61.691 to the contrary and subject to limitations established by this section, there is hereby appropriated General Fund moneys in the amount of $18,700,000 in fiscal year 2026-2027 from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund Account established by KRS 48.705 to the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority to be applied to the Kentucky Employees Retirement Fund of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System established by KRS 61.515 to prefund in fiscal year 20262027 and …
Sponsors
- Erika Hancock (D, HD-057) · primary sponsor
- Beverly Chester-Burton (D, HD-044)
- William Lawrence (R, HD-070)
Latest actions
- : to State Government (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Subjects: Police, State, Effective Dates, Emergency, Appropriations, Retirement And Pensions, State Employees, Budget And Financial Administration, Actuarial Analysis
Common questions
- What is HB445?
- HB445 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB445 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to a cost-of-living increase to the retirement benefits for retired state employees, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
- What is the status of HB445?
- In committee as of January 29, 2026. Latest action: to State Government (H) (January 29, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB445?
- Erika Hancock (D, HD-057), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB445?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb445.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.