HB 684: AN ACT relating to constables and declaring an emergency.

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 15 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) to approve and certify within 90 days of submission an 80 hour basic training course for constables and deputy constables, and topics for in-service training for constables by the Kentucky Constables Association, Inc., require KLEC to promulgate administrative regulations allowing the association to provide basic training courses and in-service training courses for constable and deputy constable certification; provide that a constable or deputy constable that has taken the basic training course or who is certified under KRS 15.380 to 15.404 is certified and has peace officer powers; require 40 hours of in-service training to maintain certification; require instructors to be certified by KLEC; grandfather constables serving in office on the effective date of the Act who have been continually in office since December 31, 2022; require KLEC to track certification; establish the peace officer powers of certified constables; allow for extensions of training time and establish consequences for failing to meet training standards; set out certification categories; amend KRS 70.325 to specify powers of constables who have not completed the training; amend KRS 15.856 to allow constables in all counties to serve process related to child support actions; create a new section of KRS Chapter 15 to provide for the conditions of revocation of constable's peace officer powers; amend KRS 15.310 to include constables and deputy constables within the definition of "law enforcement officers" amend KRS 15.315 to add a constable to the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council; amend KRS 17.190 to add constables to the list of law enforcement agencies allowed to make emergency requests for call location information; amend KRS 70.310 to remove the sufficiency standards for constables' bonds exercised by the county level government; amend KRS 15.404 to specify that the executive director of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council is responsible for certain program aspects; allow constables to apply for admission to a basic training course as established by KRS 15.440 at a school certified or recognized by an association representing constables, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council, or the Department for Criminal Justice Training; remove requirement that the constable bear the costs of precertification and training as well as precertification; provide that if space is not available upon request, the constable or deputy constable possessing peace officer powers at the time of application continue to possess those powers until training is made available to them and they are able to complete the training; amend KRS 446.010 to include certified constables and deputy constables in the definition of "peace officers"; amend KRS 180.910 to include within the definition as an "emergency vehicle" a vehicle being used for official law enforcement purposes by a constable or deputy constable possessing the powers of a peace officer; amend KRS 189.910 to inlcude vehicles commandeered by peace officers, rather than police officers within the meaning of emergency vehicles, and include constables' and deputy constables' vehicles within the meaning of an emergency vehicle when the officers possess peace officer powers and are using the vehicles for law enforcement; amend KRS 189.950 to allow constables without the powers of peace officers to equip their vehicles with blue lights and a siren with fiscal court approval; allow constables possessing the powers of a peace officer to equip their vehicle with blue lights and a siren without fiscal court approval; direct that the act be cited as the Richard Lee VanHoose Act; EMERGENCY.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 14

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 26, 2026to Judiciary (H)
2. February 19, 2026to Committee on Committees (H)
3. February 19, 2026introduced in House