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Read. Follow. Verify.Kentucky bill includes certified court security officers under deputy sheriff merit boards and collective bargaining rules
Last action · March 13, 2026: taken from Local Government (H) 1st reading returned to Local Government (H)Sponsor: Chris Lewis
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What This Bill Proposed
Kentucky House Bill 492 expands existing systems, disciplinary procedures, training mandates, and rights to include certified court security officers employed by county sheriffs. The measure sets specific training timelines, political activity restrictions, and appeal processes for these newly covered personnel.
Court security officers gain formal civil service protections, merit board appeal rights for disciplinary actions, and eligibility in qualifying counties, while facing strict political activity bans and mandatory training deadlines.
- Deputy sheriff merit boards in Kentucky are established under KRS 70.260 to regulate disciplinary matters, qualifications, and promotions for personnel within county sheriff offices. context
- The Kentucky General Assembly operates on biennial sessions, with the 2026 session designated as 26RS. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Certified court security officers
Their employment status, training timelines, disciplinary appeal rights, and collective bargaining eligibility are formally integrated into the county deputy sheriff merit board framework.
County sheriffs
They must adhere to merit board rules, engage in collective bargaining with qualifying employee representatives, and furnish written reasons for disciplinary actions taken against court security officers.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this bill allow certified court security officers to engage in collective bargaining?
What happens if a certified court security officer fails to complete the required basic training?
Can certified court security officers run for public office?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Mar 13, 2026HouseCommitteetaken from Local Government (H) 1st reading returned to Local Government (H)
- Feb 3, 2026HouseCommitteeto Local Government (H)
- Jan 27, 2026HouseIntroducedintroduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Merit System Coverage
The measure bridges a historical gap by explicitly extending deputy sheriff merit board protections, disciplinary due process, and collective bargaining rights to certified court security officers.
Connected Entities
Sources
apps.legislature.ky.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 55)
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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