Committee approves bill letting probationary officers and firefighters buy service credit

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The House State Government Committee voted to report House Bill 516 favorably after Representative Chris Lewis said the measure would allow newly hired police officers and firefighters in CERS probationary positions (under 12 months) to purchase service credit and clarify eligibility for line-of-duty death or disability benefits.

Lewis, sponsor of the bill, explained Section 1 would amend KRS 61.552 to allow employees who served in a probationary position under 12 months to buy service credit if they completed the probationary period with the same employer, averaged 100 or more hours of work per month, remained employed by the same participating employer at the time of purchase and bought the credit within six months of successful completion. "The cost of the probationary service is required to be equal to the employee and employer contributions that would have been payable," Lewis said, noting the change offsets any cost to the retirement system.

Section 2 would amend KRS 78.510 to redefine terms for benefits so that persons in probationary positions who die or become disabled in the line of duty could be eligible for the same protections as regular employees. Lewis and stakeholder representatives told the committee the bill was coordinated with the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police, Kentucky Professional Firefighters and the Kentucky League of Cities.

Committee members asked whether the change had net fiscal impact; presenters said employer and employee contributions must both be paid and the bill had minimal projected fiscal impact because line-of-duty events are infrequent. The committee then voted to report the bill favorably; the clerk recorded 18 yeas, 0 nays.

Next steps: House Bill 516 advances to the House floor with a favorable committee report.