In Committee
2026 Regular Session

HB589

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AN ACT relating to retired emergency personnel.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 95 to define "city" and "firefighter"; provide that cities may employ retired firefighters provided the firefighter participated in the Firefighters Foundation Program Fund or retired pursuant to KRS Chapter 95, retired with at least 20 years of service credit with no administrative charges pending, and met the separation of employment requirements so that retirement benefits from the systems administered by the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA) were not voided; provide that retired firefighters employed by a city shall continue to receive the benefits they were eligible to receive upon retirement, but shall not accrue any additional retirement or health benefits during reemployment except that a city may authorize health coverage by taking legislative action; provide that retirement and any health contributions shall not be paid by the city to the KPPA on a retired firefighter who is reemployed under the Act; provide that individuals employed under the Act may be employed for a term not to exceed 1 year, which may be renewed at the discretion and need of the city; establish limits on the number of reemployed firefighters a city may hire under the program; make technical corrections; amend KRS 61.637, 61.702, 78.5536, and 78.5540 to conform.

CitiesFirefighters and Fire DepartmentsRetirement and PensionsActuarial AnalysisLocal Mandate

Introduced: February 6, 2026

Last action: February 26, 2026

To Committee On Committees (S)
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Legislative History

Feb 6, 2026 · House
Introduced In House
Feb 6, 2026 · House
To Committee On Committees (H)
Feb 13, 2026 · House
To State Government (H)
Feb 19, 2026 · House
Reported Favorably, 1st Reading, To Calendar With Committee Substitute (1)
Feb 20, 2026 · House
2nd Reading, To Rules (clerical)
Feb 23, 2026 · House
Posted For Passage In The Regular Orders Of The Day For Tuesday, February 24 2026 (clerical)
Feb 25, 2026 · House
3rd Reading, Passed 97-0 With Committee Substitute (1) (clerical)
Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Received In Senate

Primary Sponsor

Portrait of Stephanie Dietz
Stephanie Dietz

Representative · House District 065

Primary sponsor
stephanie.dietz@kylegislature.gov
BallotpediaOfficial profile

Co-sponsors (2)

Portrait of George Brown
George Brown

Representative · House District 077

Co-sponsor
George.Brown@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Kimberly Moser
Kimberly Moser

Representative · House District 064

Co-sponsor
Kimberly.Moser@kylegislature.gov

Roll calls

February 25, 2026

House: 3rd reading, passed 97-0 with Committee Substitute (1)

Yea: 97
Nay: 0
LegiScan roll call