The Kentucky Senate is proposing $21 million to bring a new state medical examiner’s office and current Kentucky State Police crime lab under one roof in Northern Kentucky.
The Senate budget plan, approved last week, proposes a total of $17.3 million in bond funds and $3.7 million in state-restricted (designated) funds for the 10,000-square-foot site. The shared building would be the former Highland Heights city building, located on Johns Hill Road near I-275. Northern Kentucky University owns the property and would lease it to the state.
The site could open in 18 to 24 months if lawmakers approve funding this year, state Justice and Public Safety cabinet officials told the Senate Appropriations and Revenue committee last month. No proposed funding is final until state lawmakers approve a state budget bill this session.
NKY has not had a state medical examiner’s office since 2017, requiring nearly 500 autopsies that could otherwise be performed locally to be moved to Frankfort or Louisville. The region’s KSP crime lab, located in Cold Spring, currently has limited space, according to lab director Jeanna Oxenham.
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer (R-Alexandria), chair of the Senate budget review subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary, supports funding for the project. On Tuesday, Funke Frommeyer told LINK nky that the new medical examiner’s office could serve as many as 18 counties, possibly more.
The planned location near the I-275 interchange will be “a much better location” than the agency’s former site in Fort Thomas, she told LINK.
“And the crime lab is just a little further south on (U.S.) 27. So by co-locating them immediately off the major interchange, that’s going to be good for Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties,” the senator said.
Gov. Andy Beshear had recommended funding for the project in his biennial budget proposal this year. However, that funding was not included in the House budget (House Bill 6) passed in February.
The Senate and House are now in budget negotiations, with a final budget vote expected in the coming days.
Funke Frommeyer – who has worked on the project since before her election to the Senate in 2022 – told LINK she is hopeful the final budget will include funding for the project. She said local officials have made it “very clear” to her that there is a need for the new space.
“I’m just grateful to (Senate budget chair) Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ryland Heights) for really recognizing and allowing our efforts to coordinate with the crime lab and the medical examiner’s office,” she said. “This isn’t any budget ask, this is a significant need for the region. I’m praying that we’ll see that through as the budget finalizes (this week).”
Design work on the project is complete or mostly complete, said Funke Frommeyer. She said that could expedite project completion should requested funding be included in the final state budget.
“That may save us a few months. And, the building is already in the possession of NKU, it’s just vacant. So no need to move out a current occupant,” she told LINK. “They could effectively be up and running sooner than 24 months.”
The new state medical examiner’s office and relocated KSP crime lab would have separate operations in a shared building. But Funke Frommeyer said there could also be ”synergies” between the new medical examiner’s office and KSP crime lab when it comes to processing some cases. The site’s location, near the UK College of Medicine Northern Kentucky campus at NKU, could mean medical training opportunities as well, she said.
Having both agencies under one roof on campus puts them “close to students who maybe need those additional educational opportunities,” Funke Frommeyer told LINK. “So we’re really achieving some great synergy. It could be a win-win.”
The state closed its NKY medical examiner’s office seven years ago primarily due to staffing issues. The Kentucky General Assembly alleviated those issues in 2022 when it funded salary increases for state medical examiner pathologists and autopsy techs in the current budget.
Also funded was $1.8 million in one-time funds for equipment to reestablish the NKY medical examiner’s office. That $1.8 million will carry over to the new budget under the Senate budget plan.
The 2024 Kentucky General Assembly is required to pass a state budget before the current session ends on or before April 15. LINK nky will report on the latest developments impacting the region.
Rebecca Hanchett is LINK’s Frankfort correspondent. You can reach her at RHanchett@linknky.com