HCR 83

UNOFFICIAL COPY  26 RS BR 1396
1A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the establishment of the Sheriff's
2 Office Modernization Task Force.
3WHEREAS, the venerable and august office of sheriff has deep historical roots in
4 this Commonwealth, having existed even prior to statehood and having been identified as
5 a constitutional office in the original Constitution of 1792; and
6WHEREAS, sheriffs and sheriff's deputies have performed innumerable heroic
7 deeds in service to the Commonwealth and its counties, with scores of officers having
8 laid down their lives in ultimate sacrifice for their communities; and
9WHEREAS, the office of sheriff continues to serve a vital role in preserving public
10 safety and order, enforcing the laws of this Commonwealth, and performing
11 indispensable administrative functions for counties; and
12WHEREAS, in recent times the office of sheriff has become increasingly hindered
13 by archaic statutes governing the duties, powers, and funding of the office; and
14WHEREAS, the General Assembly desires to provide aid to the office of sheriff by
15 studying issues faced by the office and investigating policies to modernize the office so
16 that its members might better serve this Commonwealth;
17NOW, THEREFORE,
18 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the
19 Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein:
20Section 1.       The Legislative Research Commission shall establish the Sheriff's
21 Office Modernization Task Force to study:
22(1)     Constitutional provisions and statutes related to the duties and powers of the
23 office of sheriff;
24(2)     The schedule of fees collected by the office of sheriff;
25(3)     Salaries and payment of sheriff's deputies and bailiffs; and
26(4)     Potential technological and administrative changes to benefit the office of
27 sheriff.
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 UNOFFICIAL COPY  26 RS BR 1396
1Section 2. The Sheriff's Office Modernization Task Force shall be composed of
2 the following members, with final membership of the task force subject to the
3 consideration and approval by the Legislative Research Commission:
4(1)     Five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of
5 the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the
6 House of Representatives as a co-chair of the task force; and
7(2)     Five members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of
8 whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force.
9Section 3.       The Sheriff's Office Modernization Task Force shall meet monthly
10 during the 2026 Interim of the General Assembly. The task force shall submit findings
11 and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the
12 appropriate committee or committees by December 1, 2026.
13Section 4.       Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the
14 Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the
15 issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to
16 designate a study completion date.
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