Senate committee considers bill to cap sick‑day credit in TRS, mandate uniform reporting

Senator Higdon, speaking to the Kentucky Senate State and Local Government Committee, outlined Senate Bill 9, legislation to standardize which leave days can be converted into retirement service credit in the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) and to require uniform reporting of accrued leave across participating agencies.

The bill would direct TRS, effective July 2026, to count at retirement a maximum of 10 sick days and 2 personal days per year (12 days total) toward the calculation of final compensation; school districts that allow more days would be responsible for the associated costs. The measure also would prohibit rolling annual leave into sick leave for the purpose of retirement credit, require mandatory annual reporting of sick‑day and annual‑leave liabilities by participating agencies, and add 30 maternity days that are non‑accumulable and usable only for maternity leave. Senator Higdon said he will offer a floor amendment directing the state auditor to audit TRS and report on agencies’ sick‑day and annual‑leave policies.

Why it matters: Higdon told the committee that TRS remains significantly underfunded despite years of extra contributions…