Three KLC Initiatives Move Forward

Three Kentucky League of Cities initiatives are moving forward as the 30-day short session nears the halfway point, and the last days to file bills in the House and Senate come to a close.

On Tuesday, two KLC initiatives cleared the House Local Government Committee, and on Wednesday a KLC initiative reworking County Employee Retirement System (CERS) health benefits cleared the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

House Bill 131, sponsored by Representative Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, provides fire departments with an option for flexible schedules. The legislation easily passed the committee and moves to the full House.

House Bill 368, sponsored by Representative Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, is a long-standing initiative for KLC to provide all cities with an alternative option to publish public notices to an official government website after publishing a newspaper notice where the site is located.

“This is about the best way to inform the public,” KLC Executive Director/CEO J.D. Chaney told the committee.

Currently, 179 cities in 10 counties have the option for the alternative notice, which has not had any issues. The Kentucky Press Association opposed the bill but promised to continue working with cities and counties. House Bill 368 makes its way to the full House.

On Wednesday, Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Senator Robby Mills, R-Henderson, unanimously passed the Senate State and Local Government Committee. The legislation represents more than a year of work between employee and employer groups to enhance health benefits for retirees in the CERS plan.

“The goal is to better align their benefits with the costs of the under-65 health plan,” Mills said.

The bill would help with recruitment and retention while maintaining a solid financial footing for the system, Mills said, adding that the bill represents a shared cost structure between employers and employees.

The legislation will now move before the full Senate.