HB 642 Kentucky House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System.

Summary
Amend KRS 161.520 to remove the requirement for dependent children over the age of 18 to have their mental or physical condition approved by a majority of a medical review committee to receive survivor benefits; amend KRS 161.605 to raise the minimum amount a retired reemployed member may earn per day from $170 to $200, remove the provision for returning to work 1 month earlier if the member forfeits 1 month of their retirement benefit, reinstate the pension waiver program and prohibit members returning to work under its provisions from returning to work as administrators, and make technical changes; amend KRS 161.608 to clarify that the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) will acknowledge a member's earliest participation date in another state administered retirement system to determine benefit tier; amend KRS 161.620 to allow a member who is a parent to apply for and manage payments to a disabled child without necessity of a court order or other legal authority; amend KRS 161.635 and 161.636 to allow TRS to offer index fund investment options to university and nonuniversity members, to annuitize the investment return on the supplemental benefit applied to the index funds not to exceed 6.1% if there is no COLA in a given year or 4.6% if there is a COLA in the given year, allow TRS to promulgate administrative regulations to establish procedures for disbursements from the supplemental benefit component, and establish that neither the TRS board or staff shall be liable for any losses or claims due to a member's election of an index fund and state that members have the sole responsibility for their investment decisions.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Feb 13, 2026 Signed Apr 7, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Current/Final · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill updates the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System to increase survivor benefits for widows and widowers, raising the monthly payment from $180 to $240 and increasing the income threshold for the higher benefit tier from $6,600 to $6,600 (no change in threshold amount, but formatting adjusted). It also clarifies the process for adult children to waive their survivorship benefits and adjusts the age limit for dependent children from 18 to 19 if they are full-time high school students. These changes ensure that surviving spouses and children receive more financial support after a teacher's death.
FISCAL

Increased the monthly survivor benefit for widows and widowers with no other income from $180 to $240.

ELIGIBILITY

Extended the age limit for dependent children eligible for benefits to 19 years old if they are full-time high school students.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the requirements for adult children to waive survivorship benefits, clarifying the consent process and the role of guardians or fiduciaries.

Floor votes · House Mar 18, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Apr 7, 2026
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 34)
lower
Apr 1, 2026
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Apr 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
passed 37-1
lower
Mar 25, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Committee
to State & Local Government (S)
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 96-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 12, 2026
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Feb 23, 2026
Committee
to State Government (H)
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Introduced
introduced in House
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.