Committee approves bill adding airport police to list eligible for seized‑firearm grant funds

House Bill 234, presented to the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee by Representative Wade Williams and the Kentucky Police Chiefs Association, was approved unanimously.

Representative Wade Williams introduced the bill and said it was a “cleanup” measure to add airport police departments to the list of agencies eligible to apply for grants administered by the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security that are funded from proceeds of confiscated or abandoned firearms auctions. Williams said those grants provide equipment such as tasers and ballistic vests and that “all this does is add the airport police to that, list of organizations.”

Sean Butler, executive director of the Kentucky Police Chiefs Association, attended and supported the measure. Senator Richardson asked how many officers might be affected; Williams estimated the three airport departments (Northern Kentucky, Lexington and Louisville) together likely employ “less than a hundred.” Committee members raised a concern about whether adding airports could reduce funds available to other agencies; presenters said grants are distributed based on need and that they did not expect a detrimental effect on other departments.

Senator Richardson moved the bill with Senator Boswell seconding. Roll call recorded Senators Boswell, Higdon, Nunn, Reid, Richardson and Chair Deneen among those voting aye. The chair said the committee’s favorable recommendation would move the bill forward.

The bill, as described on the record, does not change grant funding sources but expands eligible applicants to include airport police departments; committee members did not request additional fiscal detail during the hearing.