Two Kentucky lawmakers are hoping to revive bills in the next legislative session that did not pass through the General Assembly before.
Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester, and Rep. Rachel Roarx, D-Louisville, spoke about their bills in front of the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government Tuesday morning. Elkins’ proposal would allow cremation or burials of unclaimed dead bodies, but it died in the House earlier this year. Roarx’s bill would allow local code enforcement and zoning inspection employees in Louisville to be eligible for hazardous duty retirement. It did not get a committee hearing this year, but was backed by a few Democratic representatives and Republican House Whip Jason Nemes, of Louisville.
Elkins said his bill is a “local control bill” that gives local governments in the state the option of cremating or burying dead bodies in cases where a family member cannot be found. The decision to cremate or bury would be made by the local coroner, fiscal court, consolidated local government or urban-county government that would be responsible for the expense.
One amendment to the bill this year was to direct coroners to search for next of kin for at least six months, but some coroners in rural areas had argued that was too long and storage costs could incur to local governments, Elkins said. Next year’s bill will likely make the time frame 30 days.
Another amendment addressed avoiding cremation if the person was Jewish to align with common practices in the religion. Elkins said that Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of Chabad of the Bluegrass offered to cover costs of the burial for persons of Jewish descent who might be affected by the local government decision.
Elkins said the 2026 session would mark the third time he’s filed the legislation.
“Each time it has made it further and further, so I’m hoping this year it gets all the way across the line,” the senator said.
Roarx presented her bill to the committee with Brandon Lincoln, the chair of governmental affairs for the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police. She said the bill would make Louisville Metro code enforcement officers eligible for hazardous duty retirement benefits. Those employees are often involved in situations that include investigations, inspections, issuing citations and more that have “a high degree of peril and danger as well as physical conditioning.” Clerical and administrative positions are not included in the bill.
Lincoln told lawmakers that code enforcement officers, particularly in Louisville, are “frequently (the) first point of contact in the efforts to resolve serious issues with property owners and or tenants.” Some properties also have hazardous environments, such as unsafe living conditions or unreported occupants.
Roarx said that about 60 Louisville Metro employees would be eligible for benefits under her bill and that the additional expense would be under $500,000 annually.
“It’s a pretty reasonable financial investment that only the City of Louisville would have the option to take on if they so choose in the next budget sessions that they encounter,” Roarx said.
The Kentucky General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session begins in January when lawmakers will convene in Frankfort for 60 days.
