(1) (a) Coroners shall receive out of the county, consolidated local government, charter county government, urban-county government, or unified local government treasury, whichever is appropriate, the monthly compensation the fiscal court of each county shall fix, subject to the following minimums:
County Monthly Minimum
Population Compensation
1. 10,000 or less $200
2. 10,001 to 20,000 300
3. 20,001 to 40,000 350
4. 40,001 to 60,000 400
5. 60,001 to 100,000 450
6. 100,001 to 150,000 800
7. 150,001 or more 1,000
(b) Coroners who hold a current certificate of continuing education, issued jointly by the Department of Criminal Justice Training, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, and the Office of the Kentucky State Medical Examiner, Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, and who have completed the course described in subsection (4)(b) of this section, shall be paid the following minimum monthly compensation set forth in this subsection in recognition of the training:
County Monthly Minimum
Population Compensation
1. 10,000 or less $400
2. 10,001 to 20,000 500
3. 20,001 to 40,000 650
4. 40,001 to 60,000 750
5. 60,001 to 100,000 850
6. 100,001 to 150,000 1,100
7. 150,001 or more 1,300
(2) Deputy coroners who hold a current certificate of continuing education, as described in subsection (1)(b) of this section, and have completed the course described in subsection (4)(b) of this section, shall receive out of the county, consolidated local government, charter county government, urban-county government, or unified local government treasury, whichever is appropriate, the monthly compensation the fiscal court of each county shall fix, subject to the following minimums:
County Monthly Minimum
Population Compensation
(a) 10,000 or less $200 (b) 10,001 to 20,000 250 (c) 20,001 to 40,000 275 (d) 40,001 to 60,000 300 (e) 60,001 to 100,000 400 (f) 100,001 to 150,000 900 (g) 150,001 or more 1,100
(3) The fiscal court of any county, or the legislative body of a consolidated local government, charter county government, urban-county government, or unified local government may compensate coroners and deputy coroners an additional amount of up to three hundred dollars ($300) per month as an expense allowance.
(4) (a) The initial course of continuing education required under subsection (1)(b) of this section shall consist of a forty (40) hour basic training course prescribed by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. Annually thereafter the coroner shall attend and successfully complete at least eighteen (18) hours of approved training in order to be compensated in accordance with subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(b) Within three (3) years of initially assuming office, in order to be compensated in accordance with subsections (1)(b) and (2) of this section, a coroner or deputy coroner shall attend and complete a course of at least four (4) hours provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Training that shall include instruction on the grieving process and best practices for providing a notice of death to a spouse or next of kin and may include instruction on other similar topics. A coroner or deputy coroner that has completed the course shall not be required to retake the course.
(5) If a deputy coroner assumes the office of coroner after receiving the training stipulated in this section, the deputy coroner shall be compensated in accordance with the compensation schedule set forth in subsection (1)(b) of this section.
(6) The number of deputy coroners in a county shall not exceed one (1) for each twenty-five thousand (25,000) inhabitants, or fraction thereof, according to the most recent federal census, but every coroner may, subject to the approval of the legislative body of the county, consolidated local government, charter county government, urban-county government, or unified local government, appoint additional deputy coroners, regardless of population.
Effective: January 1, 2023
History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 138, sec. 1, effective January 1, 2023. — Amended 2016 Ky. Acts ch. 65, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2016. — Amended 2008
Ky. Acts ch. 74, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2008. — Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 138, effective June 26, 2007. — Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 424, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2000. — Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 65, sec. 3, effective July 15,
1998. — Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 465, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1990. — Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 248, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1988. — Amended 1982
Ky. Acts ch. 195, sec. 13, effective July 15, 1982. — Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 93, sec. 19, effective June 17, 1978. — Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 387, sec. 2, effective July 1, 1974. — Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 255, sec. 68. — Amended 1956 Ky. Acts ch. 143, sec. 1. — Created 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 125, secs. 1, 2, and 3.
Legislative Research Commission Note (1/1/2023). 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 138, sec. 5,
provides: “A coroner or deputy coroner serving on January 1, 2023, may continue being compensated under [this statute] if he or she completes the course described in subsection (4)(b) of [this statute] by January 1, 2026. No deputy coroner shall have his or her employment status changed for failure to complete the course described in subsection (4)(b) of [this statute] prior to January 1, 2026.”
Legislative Research Commission Note (1/1/2023). 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 138, sec. 6, provides that the Act, which amended this statute and KRS § 72.415 and created KRS
72.480, may be cited as Nathan’s Law.