Senate passes bills aimed at teacher sick days, criminal justice issues

Both bills passed thru senate

(Story Courtesy of Kentucky Today)

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Legislation making changes to Kentucky’s Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and a bill dealing with criminal justice issues were both approved by the Kentucky Senate on Wednesday.

Senate Bill 4 would end the habit of teachers who don’t use all the sick leave they have accumulated during their career from being allowed to convert an unlimited amount to increase their pension benefits when they retire.

Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, the sponsor of the measure, told his colleagues why the reforms were needed. “It has become more expensive over the years, because of the way we have started using sick days, personal days and emergency days, in ways that were never authorized under state law.  In the process, we failed to get a full understanding of the program’s liabilities.”

He cited an example. “One employee had 591 sick days, that was after 25 years of service. That comes to 24 sick days a year. That employee obviously found a loophole in our system.”

Higdon added: “TRS does not track sick days during a working employee’s career and has no idea of the actuarial liability of the sick leave program. We only have estimates.”

While his bill would not affect sick leave already accumulated, it would limit further carryovers to a maximum of 10 days a year and require closer monitoring of accumulated leave.

Senate Minority Whip Reginald Thomas, D-Lexington, spoke against the measure. “What Senate Bill 4 does is produce another dagger against our public school teachers.”

He said many younger teachers save up their sick leave to use for maternity leave.   

The bill passed 24-12.

The Senate also approved SB 20. Among its provisions, classifying burglary 1^st degree, assault 2^nd degree and wanton endangerment 1^st degree as violent offenses. Offenders would have to serve at least 50 percent of their sentences before becoming eligible for parole.

It would also require juveniles as young as 15 to be tried as an adult, if they are accused of committing a Class A, B or C felony when a firearm was involved.

The case could be returned to juvenile court if the commonwealth’s attorney and county attorney agree.

SB 20 passed 25-9, with one member passing.