(1) As used in this section, “chief fire officer” means an individual who plays an essential role in the administrative structure of his or her fire department.
(2) There is hereby created the Kentucky Fire Commission, hereinafter called “commission,” which shall be attached to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System for administrative purposes only.
(3) (a) The commission shall include male, female, and racial minority representation.
(b) No more than three (3) appointed members shall reside in the same congressional district.
(4) The commission shall be composed of fourteen (14) members, residents of the State of Kentucky, and appointed by the Governor. These members should be persons well qualified by experience or education in the field of fire protection or related fields.
(5) The membership of the commission shall include:
(a) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 75 or 273 who is:
1. Not a chief fire officer;
2. Not a career employee of any department other than the one from which he or she is nominated; and
3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the
Kentucky Firefighters Association;
(b) One (1) member of a volunteer fire department who is:
1. Not a chief fire officer;
2. Not a career employee of any fire department other than the one from which he or she is nominated; and
3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the
Kentucky Firefighters Association;
(c) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 95 selected from a list of at list three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Professional Firefighters;
(d) One (1) chief fire officer of a paid fire department selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;
(e) One (1) licensed physician with experience in emergency medicine;
(f) A chief fire officer of a volunteer fire department who is not a career member of any other department, selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;
(g) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 67 or 75, or a fire department in a county containing an urban county government created pursuant to KRS Chapter 67A, who is selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Professional Firefighters;
(h) The director of Homeland Security or his or her designee;
(i) One (1) mayor or other officer of a Kentucky city providing fire services under KRS Chapter 95 selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky League of Cities;
(j) One (1) county judge/executive or other officer of a Kentucky county selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Counties;
(k) One (1) representative of a Kentucky building, industry, or safety association; (l) One (1) representative of the general public who is not an employee of any
government or governmental agency;
(m) The state fire marshal or his or her designee; and
(n) One (1) officer of a fire-based emergency medical service selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the executive director of the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services.
(6) The vice president of administrative services of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, president of the Kentucky Firefighters Association, president of the Kentucky Professional Firefighters, and president of the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs, or their designees, shall serve as nonvoting ex officio members of the commission.
(7) The members of the commission who are firefighters shall possess a minimum of five (5) years of fire service experience and shall be certified with the following:
(a) One hundred fifty (150) hours of training for volunteer firefighters; or
(b) Four hundred (400) hours of training for professional firefighters.
(8) The Kentucky Firefighters Association, Kentucky Professional Firefighters, Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs, Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services Association, Kentucky League of Cities, and Kentucky Association of Counties shall submit their lists of nominees by November 15 of each year as vacancies occur.
(9) The Governor shall appoint members of the commission to staggered terms not to exceed four (4) years. However, initial appointments shall be appointed as follows:
(a) Four (4) members shall serve for two (2) year terms ending November 30,
2021;
(b) Five (5) members shall serve three (3) year terms ending November 30, 2022;
and
(c) Five (5) members shall serve four (4) year terms ending November 30, 2023. (10) After the expiration of the initial appointments, appointive members shall be
appointed for a term of four (4) years. Any member chosen by the Governor to fill a
vacancy created otherwise than by expiration of term shall be appointed for the unexpired term of the member he or she is chosen to succeed.
(11) When vacancies occur other than by expiration of term and nominations are required, the Governor may request a new list or select an appointee from a previously submitted list. Appointive members shall not serve more than two (2)
consecutive four (4) year terms.
(12) A majority of the voting members appointed to the commission shall constitute a quorum. The commission shall:
(a) Meet at least four (4) times per year upon call of the chair, or upon the written request of any five (5) members; and
(b) Annually elect a chair, vice chair, and secretary in accordance with KRS
95A.030.
(13) A member of the commission who misses three (3) regular meetings, without the approval of the chairman, in one (1) year shall be deemed to have resigned from the commission and his or her position shall be deemed to be vacant. As used in this subsection, a “year” begins when the first meeting is missed and ends three hundred sixty-five (365) days later or when the third meeting is missed, whichever occurs first. The Governor shall appoint a similarly qualified person to fill the vacancy within ninety (90) days of the vacancy occurring. The failure of a commission member to attend a special or emergency meeting shall not result in any penalty. A person removed under this subsection shall not be reappointed to the commission for at least ten (10) years after removal.
(14) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their functions.
Effective: July 15, 2020
History: Amended 2020 Ky. Acts ch. 67, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2020. — Amended
2010 Ky. Acts ch. 125, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch.
102, sec. 5, effective July 14, 2000; and ch. 270, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2000. — Amended 1997 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 1, sec. 42, effective May 30, 1997. — Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 414, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1994. – Amended 1992
Ky. Acts ch. 27, sec. 7, effective March 2, 1992; and ch. 167, sec. 1, effective July
14, 1992. — Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 418, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1986. — Amended 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 303, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1984. — Amended 1980
Ky. Acts ch. 126, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1980. — Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 117, sec. 63, effective June 17, 1978. — Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 170, sec. 1. — Amended 1972 Ky. Acts ch. 366, sec. 2. — Created 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 171, sec. 2.
Legislative Research Commission Note (7/15/2020). Under the authority of KRS
7.136(1), the Reviser of Statutes has altered the internal numbering of the text in this statute during codification. The words in the text were not changed.
Legislative Research Commission Note (7/14/92). This section was amended by two
1992 Acts. Where those Acts are not in conflict, they have been compiled together. Where a conflict exists, the Act which was last enacted by the General Assembly prevails, pursuant to KRS § 446.250.