Two Bills Approved by the Kentucky Senate

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – The Kentucky Senate on Wednesday passed two bills sponsored by Sen. Matthew Deneen, R-Elizabethtown — one addressing line-of-duty deaths and the other focused on missing persons.

Senate Bill 47 expands line-of-duty death benefits to include search and rescue members.

“Time and again, they have been called upon to address natural disasters throughout the Commonwealth,” Deneen told fellow senators. “This group of volunteers has spent hours in training and they go into some of the most dangerous situations that our other emergency responders cannot. The brave men and women of our search and rescue teams save the lives of our fellow Kentuckians and those who visit our state.”

He explained that the measure would grant search and rescue members who die in the line of duty the same benefits already available to other emergency responders, including police officers and firefighters.

SB 47 passed unanimously, 36-0.

Deneen also introduced SB 159, which addresses missing persons databases.

“This simply aligns us with the 2022 federal regulation called ‘Billy’s Law.’ It requires law enforcement to enter data into two missing persons databases,” he said on the Senate floor. “This federal regulation accomplishes many things. Not only will it help us and our loved ones who have missing persons, it also reaches out across state lines, with the national databases, for those unfortunate times when we have to bring a loved one home that may not be alive, to be reunited with their family.”

SB 159 also passed unanimously, 36-0.

The Senate additionally approved SB 85, sponsored by Sen. Robin Webb, R-Grayson, with a 36-0 vote and minimal discussion. The bill would designate a special needs trust to receive state-administered retirement benefits for state employees.

All three bills now move to the House for consideration.