KentuckyHB 4192026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Fire Commission.

Sponsored By: Suzanne Miles (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Boards And CommissionsDiseasesFire PreventionFirefighters And Fire DepartmentsPublic Officers And Employees

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.

Annual $11,000 for volunteer fire departments

Each qualifying volunteer fire department gets $11,000 every year. A department must have at least 50% of its personnel certified as recognized by the commission to receive funding. If it does not take part properly in the state fire incident reporting system, it loses $500 from its yearly allotment.

Training funds, centers, and loans for fire departments

Each year, $1,000,000 from the Firefighters Foundation Program fund supports statewide firefighter training. Another $200,000 per fiscal year goes to build or upgrade training centers, and unused money rolls into the second year of the budget period. The commission can reimburse volunteer departments up to $10,000 per hazardous‑materials equipment loss, if they apply and meet conditions. It also offers low‑interest loans (generally capped at 3% annually) for major equipment and facility projects, with repayments returning to the loan fund. Payments to KCTCS for salaries and administration are capped at 5% of the fund’s total appropriation each year.

Vaccines and cancer screening help for firefighters

The Kentucky Fire Commission runs a program to give every paid and volunteer firefighter hepatitis A and B shots. Funding for this program is capped at $500,000 each fiscal year from the Firefighters Foundation Program fund. If money is left after vaccines, firefighters can get reimbursed for out‑of‑pocket costs of FDA‑approved cancer screening tests. The commission sets reimbursement limits and who qualifies, and it may allow retired firefighters to take part.

New reporting, audits, and penalties for departments

If a fire district has $100,000 or more in receipts or spending for two years in a row, it must follow special purpose government rules under state law. Beginning with fiscal years after July 1, 2016, every district must file annual administrative and financial reports, and each one gets a financial review at least once a year. The commission may require an independent audit once every four years for $100,000 to $499,999 entities, and annual audits if the amount is $500,000 or more for two years in a row. If a district or nonprofit department does not comply, the commission can withhold incentive pay, volunteer aid, workers’ comp insurance funding, low‑interest loans, and grants. The commission reports irregularities to the Attorney General and the state Auditor, can order corrective actions, and past state sanctions are lifted once fixes are verified. The commission must also report compliance to the legislature by October 1 each year, starting in 2016.

Broader, more representative Kentucky Fire Commission

The Kentucky Fire Commission now has 18 members, up from 14. It must include male, female, and racial minority members, and no more than three may live in the same congressional district. The KCTCS president and leaders of major firefighter associations are full members, not just nonvoting participants. Firefighter members must have at least five years of service and 150 hours (volunteer) or 400 hours (professional) of training. Appointed members serve four‑year terms and can serve no more than two in a row.

Grants for thermal cameras and safety devices

The Kentucky Fire Commission runs the Thermal Vision and Technical Innovation Grant Program. Eligible departments can get 50% of the price, up to $5,000 per award, for devices like thermal cameras, gas monitors, and AEDs. Departments must file use and maintenance reports. A department that gets a grant must wait two years before reapplying. If it fails to file required reports, it is barred from the program for five years.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Suzanne Miles
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Bill Wesley
Republican • House
Daniel Grossberg
Democrat • House
DJ Johnson
Republican • House
Mark Hart
Republican • House
Michael Meredith
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 225 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/31/2026

3rd reading, passed

Yes: 38 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

passed

Yes: 90 • No: 0

House vote • 2/5/2026