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Committee approves bill to provide hazardous‑duty pay for National Guard members on state active duty
Summary
House Bill 364 would provide hazardous‑duty or commonwealth emergency pay (initially for the first 72 hours, with potential extension) to National Guard members activated on state orders; committee testimony described pay estimates and said FEMA reimbursement commonly covers most costs; the bill passed unanimously.
The Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection committee unanimously advanced House Bill 364 to provide hazardous‑duty (commonwealth emergency) pay to National Guard members called to state active duty for disasters or emergency response.
Representative Steve Bratcher, joined by National Guard Association leaders, told the committee the pay is intended to offset income differences when Guardsmen are activated on state orders rather than federal orders. "For the first 72 hours, national guard members would get hazardous duty pay," Bratcher said, explaining the initial period covers the most hazardous response work.
Joe Gardner, executive director of the Kentucky National Guard Association, and Ken Staley, the association’s legislative liaison, described Guard members’ dual civilian roles and the need to incentivize timely response. Gardner and other witnesses explained rough calculations for common enlisted ranks, saying base pay for typical ranks would equate to about $9.67 to $10.60 an hour depending on rank and time in grade.
Committee members asked about the fiscal impact. Bratcher said he sought a fiscal note but agencies said they cannot predict disaster frequency; he noted past responses (ice/storms) generated roughly $20,000 in recent months that are typically reimbursed by FEMA at 75%–100%. The sponsor outlined the reimbursement flow: National Guard covers initial pay, military affairs processes it, and FEMA reimbursement follows via the Department of Emergency Management over months.
The bill passed the committee unanimously; sponsors and witnesses said it is intended as a compensation assistance measure, not a bonus, and that implementation includes reimbursement processes.
