Kentucky League of Cities summarizes 2025 session: preemption defense, firefighter schedule flexibility, pension health boost

Gracie Kelly, director of government affairs for the Kentucky League of Cities, told the Lexington Urban County Council’s Committee of the Whole on May 8 that the 2025 legislative session required heavy “defensive work” by local governments amid repeated preemption proposals and rapid bill activity.

Kelly said the 30-day session produced more than 1,000 filed bills and 148 enacted measures; 10 were KLC initiatives that the League’s board had prioritized. “It may not seem like a lot, but that's actually really substantial,” she said, describing KLC’s role in drafting, finding sponsors and shepherding those initiatives.

The update highlighted several enacted measures or developments the League tracked that could affect Lexington and other cities. Kelly described House Bill 30 as codifying a court of appeals decision to protect ordinary raises and bona fide promotions from triggering pension-spiking penalties. She said House Bill 131 lets some jurisdictions adopt alternative firefighter schedules (examples Kelly gave include…