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AN ACT relating to deputy coroner training. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 72.415 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of KRS 72.410 to 72.470, coroners and 4
deputy coroners shall have the full power and authority of peace officers in this 5
state, including the power of arrest and the authority to bear arms, and shall have 6
the power and authority to: 7
(a) Administer oaths; 8
(b) Enter upon public or private premises for the purpose of making 9
investigations; 10
(c) Seize evidence; 11
(d) Interrogate persons; 12
(e) Require the production of medical records, books, papers, documents, or other 13
evidence; 14
(f) Impound vehicles involved in vehicular deaths; 15
(g) Employ special investigators and photographers; and 16
(h) Expend funds for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of KRS 72.410 to 17
72.470. 18
The fiscal court or urban-county government shall pay all reasonable expenses 19
incurred by the coroner and his deputy in carrying out his responsibilities under the 20
provisions of KRS 72.410 to 72.470. 21
(2) (a) 1. No person shall be eligible to hold the office of deputy coroner unless he 22
holds a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Every deputy 23
coroner, other than a licensed physician, shall be required as a condition 24
of office to take during every calendar year he or she is in office the 25
training course of at least eighteen (18) hours provided by the 26
Department of Criminal Justice Training or other courses approved by 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1522
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the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet after having completed the basic 1
training course the first year of employment. The training course shall 2
include material developed by the cabinet and approved by the Cabinet 3
for Health and Family Services on the human immunodeficiency virus 4
infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The material shall 5
include information on known modes of transmission and methods of 6
controlling and preventing these diseases with an emphasis on 7
appropriate behavior and attitude change. 8
2. Within three (3) years of initially assuming office, every deputy coroner 9
shall be required as a condition of office to take a course of at least four 10
(4) hours provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Training that 11
shall include instruction on the grieving process and best practices for 12
providing a notice of death to a spouse or next of kin and may include 13
instruction on other similar topics, as set out in KRS 64.185(4)(b). A 14
deputy coroner that has completed the course shall not be required to 15
retake the course. 16
(b) 1. Any deputy coroner subject to the training requirements of paragraph (a) 17
of this subsection who fails to complete the mandated training shall be 18
ineligible to perform the duties of deputy coroner, and may be 19
terminated by the coroner. The coroner shall make written notification 20
of the deputy coroner's ineligibility to perform his or her duties to the 21
deputy coroner and to the fiscal court or the legislative body of the 22
consolidated local government, charter county government, urban-23
county government, or unified local government. 24
2. The commissioner of the Department of Criminal Justice Training, or 25
the commissioner's designee, may grant the deputy coroner an 26
extension of no more than one hundred eighty (180) days in which to 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1522
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complete the training requirements of this subsection if there are 1
extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the deputy coroner 2
that prevent that individual from completing the training during the 3
required time period. If the deputy coroner is unable to complete the 4
training due to an injury or illness that prevents that individual from 5
performing the duties of the deputy coroner, the one hundred eighty 6
day (180) extension shall begin on the date that the deputy coroner 7
resumes performing the duties of the deputy coroner. Any deputy 8
coroner who fails to successfully complete the training within the time 9
period granted by the extension shall be subject to the consequences 10
set out in subparagraph 1. of this paragraph. 11
[2. The deputy coroner shall regain his or her eligibility upon successful 12
recompletion of the initial basic training course referenced in KRS 13
64.185(4), which shall be evidenced by written certification provided by 14
the Department of Criminal Justice Training to the coroner. Upon 15
receipt of the certification, the coroner shall make written notification of 16
the reinstatement of eligibility to the deputy coroner and to the fiscal 17
court or the legislative body of the consolidated local government, 18
charter county government, urban-county government, or unified local 19
government. 20
3. The compensation of a deputy coroner who becomes ineligible to 21
perform his or her duties under subparagraph 1. of this paragraph shall 22
be modified as follows: 23
a. From the coroner's written notification of ineligibility until the 24
deputy coroner begins the basic training course mandated by 25
subparagraph 2. of this paragraph, the deputy coroner shall receive 26
no compensation; 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 25 RS BR 1522
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b. From the first day that the deputy coroner begins the basic training 1
course mandated by subparagraph 2. of this paragraph until written 2
notification of course outcome is received by the coroner, the 3
deputy coroner shall be compensated at his or her previously 4
established rate of compensation; 5
c. If the deputy coroner fails the basic training course mandated by 6
subparagraph 2. of this paragraph, the deputy coroner shall receive 7
no compensation from the date of receipt of notification of failure 8
from Department of Criminal Justice Training to the coroner until 9
the deputy coroner begins anew the basic training course mandated 10
by subparagraph 2. of this paragraph, at which time the deputy 11
coroner shall be compensated at his or her previously established 12
rate of compensation; and 13
d. If the deputy coroner successfully completes the basic training 14
course mandated by subparagraph 2. of this paragraph as 15
evidenced by written certification provided by the Department of 16
Criminal Justice Training to the coroner, the deputy coroner shall 17
receive compensation as is normally determined for deputy 18
coroners pursuant to statute.] 19