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Kentucky coroners press for statewide pay scale; county judges urge local control
Summary
Coroners told the Joint Committee on Local Government they need a population‑based, statutory salary schedule and cited low pay and unpaid training burdens; county judge executives said fiscal courts already address these issues and warned a state mandate could be an unfunded mandate. No vote was taken.
County coroners and their legislative committee urged the Joint Committee on Local Government to adopt a statewide, population‑based salary schedule for coroners, arguing the office’s duties and training requirements have been overlooked and compensation varies widely across the Commonwealth.
"Coroners are asking for a house bill that will be across the board and will end the inconsistencies of the coroner's compensation across the Commonwealth," said Gary Ginn, who identified himself as Fayette County coroner and spoke for the Kentucky Coroners Association legislative committee. Ginn listed duties coroners perform — scene investigation, identifying the deceased, collecting toxicology specimens and authorizing autopsies — and said coroners often work around the clock and perform unpaid training and mass‑casualty duties.
Presenters cited specific compensation data drawn from association materials and a survey: two coroners make under $5,000 annually; 27 make $10,000 or less; 68 make $20,000 or less; and 89 make $30,000 or less. They said Pike County’s coroner was paid about $32,000 and that the fiscal court later voted to increase that amount to $70,000.
The coroners asked the legislature to adopt a graduated salary schedule tied to county population and years of service and urged recognition that coroners perform a full‑time public‑safety role. They referenced House Bill 138 (introduced in session) and earlier related bills going back to 1998 that shaped how constitutional officers’ compensation is treated under the Kentucky Constitution and KRS.
County judge executives and the County Judge Executive Association responded that counties vary widely and that fiscal courts already, through public budget processes, consider compensation requests alongside other county priorities. "No two counties are alike," Todd Ruckel of the County Judge Executive Association told the committee, arguing that local elected officials are best positioned to balance budgets and priorities.
John Sims (Fleming County judge executive) and other county judges described local solutions — such as adjusted deputy on‑call pay, additional staffing, vehicles and benefits — and said the survey the judges provided shows many counties have already acted where needed. They cautioned that a state‑set schedule could function as an unfunded mandate for fiscally constrained counties.
Committee members asked whether coroners seek salary only or also benefits and whether training requirements are consistent. Coroners said an initial 40‑hour training plus annual in‑service hours are mandated and that benefits vary by county. The committee did not vote on legislation and set the next meeting for Aug. 18, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Annex Room 149.
The hearing ended without formal action on the coroner pay proposals.
