# Kentucky HB 642: AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System. Kentucky HB 642, AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by James Tipton (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-07 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 34)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB642-2026RS - 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 642 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-13 - Last action: 2026-04-07, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 34) - Sponsor: James Tipton (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Education, Elementary And Secondary, Education, Higher, Universities And Colleges, Actuarial Analysis, Public Officers And Employees, Retirement And Pensions, Teachers - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (133 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Survivor payments for spouses and kids: benefit, high. This law sets clear monthly survivor checks. A spouse named as the primary beneficiary gets $240 per month if total income is $6,600 or less, or $180 per month otherwise. Unmarried minor children get $200 for one child, $340 for two, $400 for three, and $440 for four or more. A dependent adult chil… - Easy control of adult dependent payment: benefit, low. If you are a retired TRS member with an eligible adult dependent child, you can apply for and manage the $200 monthly payment yourself. No court order is required. - New pension formula for 2022 members: mixed, high. For members who joined on or after January 1, 2022, non‑university service earns 1.7% of final average pay per year, plus 0.04% for each full year of age after 60 up to a 1.9% base at age 65+, and an extra 0.25% per year for 20–29 years of service or 0.50% for 30+ years. University members earn 0.7… - Return-to-work pay caps and wait times: mixed, high. Retirees with 30 or more years of service may work and earn up to 75% of their last annual pay; those with less than 30 years have a 65% cap. The board may raise the daily‑rate base each July 1 by CPI‑U, up to 5% a year. A retiree returning to a local district can earn at least $200 per day with no… - Survivor lump-sum, estate, and payback rules: mixed, medium. A surviving spouse named as the primary beneficiary may choose a lump‑sum refund of the member’s account instead of ongoing benefits only if the spouse is the parent or court‑appointed guardian of all eligible children, and any adult children consent in writing when required. For adult dependent ch… - Annuity and contributions when you return: mixed, medium. If you return to work after retiring, your employer must withhold TRS contributions. You generally pay into a separate post‑retirement account that must vest before it can pay benefits; some refunds are allowed per statute. Members who joined TRS on or after January 1, 2022 and are drawing a lifeti… - Critical-shortage rehiring and health coverage: mixed, medium. Employers may hire retirees full‑time up to 10% of their active full‑time staff; the TRS board can adjust this cap, and districts can ask to exceed it. Districts can also hire retirees in critical‑shortage jobs without the usual pay limits, up to four people or 10% of staff, whichever is greater; t… - Earlier membership dates and 2026 lock: mixed, low. TRS uses your earliest entry date from Kentucky’s state retirement systems to set your eligibility, and once recorded it does not change. If you start TRS on or after July 1, 2026, later reinstating earlier service in another system does not change your TRS account type. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: James Tipton (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Beverly Chester-Burton (Democrat), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-31 | House | passed | pass | 37 | 1 | | | 2026-03-18 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 96 | 0 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-04-07: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 34) - 2026-04-01: delivered to Governor - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (House) - 2026-04-01: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-03-31: passed 37-1 (House) - 2026-03-31: received in House (House) - 2026-03-31: committee amendment (1) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-03-31: committee substitute (1) withdrawn (Senate) - 2026-03-31: 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-26: posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Friday, March 27 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-26: 2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill (Senate) - 2026-03-25: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2026-03-24: to State & Local Government (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-03-19: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-18: 3rd reading, passed 96-0 with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-03-16: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 17 2026 (House) - 2026-03-13: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-12: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) (House) - 2026-02-23: to State Government (H) (House) - 2026-02-13: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-02-13: introduced in House (House) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-03-25: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb642/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-02-13: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb642/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/hb642/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb642/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-HB642-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).