# Kentucky HB 213: AN ACT relating to reemployment of retired police officers. Kentucky HB 213, AN ACT relating to reemployment of retired police officers., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Emily Callaway (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-10 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 73)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB213-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky HB 213 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to reemployment of retired police officers. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-07 - Last action: 2026-04-10, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 73) - Sponsor: Emily Callaway (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Peace Officers And Law Enforcement, Personnel And Employment, Police, City And County, Retirement And Pensions, Sheriffs, Actuarial Analysis - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (230 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 12 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Tax break and rules for retiree insurance: benefit, high. Premiums for retiree hospital and medical coverage under this law are not subject to the state premium tax. If the system’s insurance fund pays your premium, that payment is not taxable income to you. No commissions may be paid to agents or brokers when this coverage is bought. - Annual bumps to retiree health help: benefit, medium. Your monthly retiree insurance contribution increases 1.5% every July 1, and it keeps compounding while it is payable. Each January 1, an extra $5 can be added for each new full year of service after you reach the career threshold, but only when the plan is at least 90% funded. The career threshold… - Retiree health coverage and subsidies updated: benefit, medium. The system offers group hospital and medical coverage for retirees, spouses, and dependents. For members who started before July 1, 2003, the system pays 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% of the single premium based on 48, 120, 180, or 240 months of service. For members who started on or after July 1, 2003, y… - Weaker protection for post-2003 retiree benefits: cost, high. If your membership began on or after July 1, 2003, these retiree health benefits are not protected by the inviolable contract. The General Assembly may suspend or reduce them if it decides the Commonwealth’s welfare requires it. - Retiree health paused during full-time work: cost, medium. If your membership began on or after September 1, 2008 and you retire, then return to a regular full‑time job that must join a Kentucky retirement system, you cannot use retiree health coverage while you are working. You must take the health plan your new employer offers during that time. - How retiree health is funded: mixed, medium. Employers in the County Employees Retirement System must pay the actuarially set amount needed to fund retiree health contributions. If your membership starts on or after July 1, 2003, your employer must deduct 1% of pay for nonhazardous jobs or 2% for hazardous jobs to fund retiree health accounts… - Retiree premium reimbursements and payment caps: mixed, medium. The board runs a reimbursement plan for retirees who lack the same coverage as Kentucky residents with the same Medicare status, or who get only a partial subsidy. You must file proof of payment; reimbursements are quarterly and cannot exceed the system’s monthly contribution. For nonhazardous reti… - Cities can rehire retired officers: mixed, medium. Cities can hire retired officers with at least 20 years of service, a proper break in service, no pending charges, and no prearranged return. The job is a one‑year appointment that can be renewed; nonrenewal is not discipline. Rehired officers keep the retirement and retiree health benefits they al… - City limits on rehiring retired officers: mixed, medium. Cities face caps on how many retired police they can rehire each year. If last year’s average force was 5 or less, there is no cap. If it was over 5 but under 100, a city may hire the larger of 5 or 25% of that average. If it was 100 or more, a city may hire the larger of 25 or 10% of that average.… - County rehiring of retired officers: mixed, medium. Counties and sheriffs can rehire retired officers with at least 20 years of service, no pending charges, and a proper break in service. The job is a one‑year appointment that can be renewed; nonrenewal is not discipline. Rehired officers keep the retirement and retiree health benefits they already… - Public colleges can rehire retired officers: mixed, medium. If a public college rehires a retired officer under this law, the retiree keeps all retirement and retiree health benefits they already had. The college cannot give campus health coverage, pay State Health Plan premiums, or pay employer retirement or retiree‑health contributions for these hires. Be… - Rules for rehiring campus police retirees: mixed, low. Public colleges can rehire retired police only if strict rules are met. You must have at least 20 years of service, complete the required break in service, have no pending charges, and have made no pre‑retirement deal to return. You must have been in the Law Enforcement Foundation Program, retired… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Emily Callaway (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Beverly Chester-Burton (Democrat), House - Cosponsor: George Brown Jr. (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-31 | House | passed | pass | 95 | 0 | | | 2026-03-20 | Senate | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 37 | 0 | | | 2026-02-18 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 98 | 0 | | ## Actions (23) - 2026-04-10: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 73) - 2026-03-31: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-31: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-03-31: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-03-31: passed 95-0 (House) - 2026-03-31: House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-27: posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-20: to Rules (H) (House) - 2026-03-20: received in House (House) - 2026-03-20: 3rd reading, passed 37-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Friday, March 20 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-19: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-18: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (Senate) - 2026-03-16: to State & Local Government (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-19: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-02-19: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-18: 3rd reading, passed 98-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-02-17: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 18 2026 (House) - 2026-01-30: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-01-29: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-01-14: to State Government (H) (House) - 2026-01-07: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-07: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-31: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb213/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2025-07-16: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb213/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb213/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb213/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [SB 324: AN ACT relating to the entertainment industry.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB324-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB213-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).