AN ACT relating to peace officers.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 297/GA
Page 1 of 3
HB029710.100 - 1464 - XXXX 2/19/2026 3:01 PM GA
AN ACT relating to peace officers. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 15.420 is amended to read as follows: 3
As used in KRS 15.410 to 15.510, unless the context otherwise requires: 4
(1) "Cabinet" means the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet; 5
(2) (a) "Police officer" means: 6
1. A local officer, limited to: 7
a. A full-time: 8
i. Member of a lawfully organized police department of 9
county, urban-county, or city government; or 10
ii. Sheriff or full -time deputy sheriff, including any sheriff 11
providing court security or appointed under KRS 70.030; 12
b. A school resource officer as defined in KRS 158.441; or 13
c. One (1) of the following who is otherwise eligible for an annual 14
supplement established in accordance with KRS 15.460, but who 15
does not receive one: 16
i. An officer serving on a joint task force; 17
ii. A detective employed by a county attorney; 18
iii. A process server for juvenile courts within a consolidated 19
local government; and 20
iv. A local alcoholic beverage control investigator appointed 21
pursuant to KRS Chapter 241; and 22
2. A state officer, limited to: 23
a. A public university police officer; 24
b. A Kentucky state trooper; 25
c. A Kentucky State Police arson investigator; 26
d. A Kentucky State Police hazardous device investigator; 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 297/GA
Page 2 of 3
HB029710.100 - 1464 - XXXX 2/19/2026 3:01 PM GA
e. A Kentucky State Police legislative security specialist; 1
f. A Kentucky vehicle enforcement officer; 2
g. A Kentucky Horse Park mounted patrol officer, subject to KRS 3
15.460(1)(f); 4
h. A Kentucky state park ranger, subject to KRS 15.460(1)(f); 5
i. An agriculture investigator; 6
j. A charitable gaming investigator; 7
k. An alcoholic beverage control investigator; 8
l. An insurance fraud investigator; 9
m. An Attorney General investigator; 10
n. A Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources game 11
warden, subject to KRS 15.460(1)(e);[ and] 12
o. Any detective for a Commonwealth's attorney who would 13
otherwise be eligible for a supplement established in accordance 14
with KRS 15.460, but who does not receive one; and 15
p. A Kentucky State Fair Board special police officer, subject to 16
KRS 15.460(1)(f); 17
who is responsible for the prevention and detection of crime and the 18
enforcement of the general criminal laws of the state; 19
(b) "Police officer" does not include any sheriff who earns the maximum 20
constitutional salary for this office, any special deputy sheriff appointed under 21
KRS 70.045, any constable, deputy constable, district detective, deputy 22
district detective, special local peace officer, auxiliary police officer, or an y 23
other peace officer not specifically authorized in KRS 15.410 to 15.510; 24
(3) "Police department" means the employer of a police officer; 25
(4) "Retirement plan" means a defined benefit plan consisting of required employer 26
contributions pursuant to KRS 61.565, 61.702, or any other provision of law; 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HB 297/GA
Page 3 of 3
HB029710.100 - 1464 - XXXX 2/19/2026 3:01 PM GA
(5) "Unit of government" means any city, county, combination of cities and counties, 1
public university, state agency, local school district, or county sheriff's office of the 2
Commonwealth; and 3
(6) "Validated job t ask analysis" means the core job description that describes the 4
minimum entry level requirements, qualifications, and training requirements for 5
peace officers in the Commonwealth, and that is based upon an actual survey and 6
study of police officer duties and responsibilities conducted by an entity recognized 7
by the council as being competent to conduct such a study. 8