KRS § 95A.020 — KY Code / Title IX / Chapter 95A / Section 95A.020
95A.020 Kentucky Fire Commission
Status: in_force

95A.020 Kentucky Fire Commission.

(1) As used in this section, "chief fire officer" means an individual who plays an

essential role in the administrative structure of his or her fire department.

(2) There is hereby created the Kentucky Fire Commission, hereinafter called

"commission," which shall be attached to the Kentucky Community and Technical

College System for administrative purposes only.

(3) (a) The commission shall include male, female, and racial minority

representation.

(b) No more than three (3) appointed members shall reside in the same

congressional district.

(4) The commission shall be composed of fourteen (14) members, residents of the State

of Kentucky, and appointed by the Governor. These members should be persons

well qualified by experience or education in the field of fire protection or related

fields.

(5) The membership of the commission shall include:

(a) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 75 or 273

who is:

1. Not a chief fire officer;

2. Not a career employee of any department other than the one from which

he or she is nominated; and

3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the

Kentucky Firefighters Association;

(b) One (1) member of a volunteer fire department who is:

1. Not a chief fire officer;

2. Not a career employee of any fire department other than the one from

which he or she is nominated; and

3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the

Kentucky Firefighters Association;

(c) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 95 selected

from a list of at list three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Professional

Firefighters;

(d) One (1) chief fire officer of a paid fire department selected from a list of at

least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;

(e) One (1) licensed physician with experience in emergency medicine;

(f) A chief fire officer of a volunteer fire department who is not a career member

of any other department, selected from a list of at least three (3) names

submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;

(g) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 67 or 75, or

a fire department in a county containing an urban county government created

pursuant to KRS Chapter 67A, who is selected from a list of at least three (3)

names submitted by the Kentucky Professional Firefighters;

(h) The director of Homeland Security or his or her designee;

(i) One (1) mayor or other officer of a Kentucky city providing fire services

under KRS Chapter 95 selected from a list of at least three (3) names

submitted by the Kentucky League of Cities;

(j) One (1) county judge/executive or other officer of a Kentucky county selected

from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association

of Counties;

(k) One (1) representative of a Kentucky building, industry, or safety association;

(l) One (1) representative of the general public who is not an employee of any

government or governmental agency;

(m) The state fire marshal or his or her designee; and

(n) One (1) officer of a fire-based emergency medical service selected from a list

of at least three (3) names submitted by the executive director of the Kentucky

Board of Emergency Medical Services.

(6) The vice president of administrative services of the Kentucky Community and

Technical College System, president of the Kentucky Firefighters Association,

president of the Kentucky Professional Firefighters, and president of the Kentucky

Association of Fire Chiefs, or their designees, shall serve as nonvoting ex officio

members of the commission.

(7) The members of the commission who are firefighters shall possess a minimum of

five (5) years of fire service experience and shall be certified with the following:

(a) One hundred fifty (150) hours of training for volunteer firefighters; or

(b) Four hundred (400) hours of training for professional firefighters.

(8) The Kentucky Firefighters Association, Kentucky Professional Firefighters,

Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs, Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical

Services Association, Kentucky League of Cities, and Kentucky Association of

Counties shall submit their lists of nominees by November 15 of each year as

vacancies occur.

(9) The Governor shall appoint members of the commission to staggered terms not to

exceed four (4) years. However, initial appointments shall be appointed as follows:

(a) Four (4) members shall serve for two (2) year terms ending November 30,

2021;

(b) Five (5) members shall serve three (3) year terms ending November 30, 2022;

and

(c) Five (5) members shall serve four (4) year terms ending November 30, 2023.

(10) After the expiration of the initial appointments, appointive members shall be

appointed for a term of four (4) years. Any member chosen by the Governor to fill a

vacancy created otherwise than by expiration of term shall be appointed for the

unexpired term of the member he or she is chosen to succeed.

(11) When vacancies occur other than by expiration of term and nominations are

required, the Governor may request a new list or select an appointee from a

previously submitted list. Appointive members shall not serve more than two (2)

consecutive four (4) year terms.

(12) A majority of the voting members appointed to the commission shall constitute a

quorum. The commission shall:

(a) Meet at least four (4) times per year upon call of the chair, or upon the written

request of any five (5) members; and

(b) Annually elect a chair, vice chair, and secretary in accordance with KRS

95A.030.

(13) A member of the commission who misses three (3) regular meetings, without the

approval of the chairman, in one (1) year shall be deemed to have resigned from the

commission and his or her position shall be deemed to be vacant. As used in this

subsection, a "year" begins when the first meeting is missed and ends three hundred

sixty-five (365) days later or when the third meeting is missed, whichever occurs

first. The Governor shall appoint a similarly qualified person to fill the vacancy

within ninety (90) days of the vacancy occurring. The failure of a commission

member to attend a special or emergency meeting shall not result in any penalty. A

person removed under this subsection shall not be reappointed to the commission

for at least ten (10) years after removal.

(14) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services but

shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of

their functions.