KY SB 85
enactedAN ACT relating to designating a special needs trust to receive state-administered retirement benefits.
Kentucky · 2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did KY SB 85 pass?
Yes. KY SB 85 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-03): signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 18)
What is KY SB 85 about?
Amend KRS 16.505, 61.510, and 78.510 to define "special needs trust" (SNT) for purposes of the State Police Retirement System, Kentucky Employees Retirement System, and County Employees Retirement System; amend the definition of "beneficiary" to include a SNT; amend KRS 16.578 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement payment if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 61.635 to allow a person who is the beneficiary of a SNT to be designated as the beneficiary of a lifetime retirement benefit; require the trustee of a SNT to notify the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA) upon the death of the beneficiary of a SNT and repay any payment not properly payable to the SNT; allow KPPA to promulgate administrative regulations to administer the SNT provisions; amend KRS 61.640 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement payment if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 61.690 to allow a recipient or legal representative to direct retirement benefits to be paid to a SNT and clarify that it is not an assignment or transfer; amend KRS 78.5532 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement benefit if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 161.525, relating to the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime annuity if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 161.640 to allow checks to be sent by mail to the trustee of a SNT; require the trustee to notify the TRS upon the death of the beneficiary; require any payments not properly payable to the SNT to be repaid to TRS; allow TRS to promulgate administrative regulations to administer the SNT provisions; amend KRS 161.700 to require TRS to assign annuity payments to a SNT, issue payments to the trustee, and prevent annuity payments from being used to reimburse any state for any Medicaid benefits paid on behalf of the beneficiary of a SNT; amend KRS 21.420, relating to the Judicial Retirement Plan, to allow for a SNT to be selected as a beneficiary, and define "special needs trust"; amend KRS 21.425 to allow a member to designate a SNT to receive lifetime survivorship benefits on behalf of a surviving spouse, dependent child, or disabled child.
Who sponsors KY SB 85?
D. Carroll, R. Webb are the primary sponsors of KY SB 85.
Description
Amend KRS 16.505, 61.510, and 78.510 to define "special needs trust" (SNT) for purposes of the State Police Retirement System, Kentucky Employees Retirement System, and County Employees Retirement System; amend the definition of "beneficiary" to include a SNT; amend KRS 16.578 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement payment if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 61.635 to allow a person who is the beneficiary of a SNT to be designated as the beneficiary of a lifetime retirement benefit; require the trustee of a SNT to notify the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority (KPPA) upon the death of the beneficiary of a SNT and repay any payment not properly payable to the SNT; allow KPPA to promulgate administrative regulations to administer the SNT provisions; amend KRS 61.640 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement payment if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 61.690 to allow a recipient or legal representative to direct retirement benefits to be paid to a SNT and clarify that it is not an assignment or transfer; amend KRS 78.5532 to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime retirement benefit if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 161.525, relating to the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) to allow a SNT to receive a lifetime annuity if a member dies before retirement; amend KRS 161.640 to allow checks to be sent by mail to the trustee of a SNT; require the trustee to notify the TRS upon the death of the beneficiary; require any payments not properly payable to the SNT to be repaid to TRS; allow TRS to promulgate administrative regulations to administer the SNT provisions; amend KRS 161.700 to require TRS to assign annuity payments to a SNT, issue payments to the trustee, and prevent annuity payments from being used to reimburse any state for any Medicaid benefits paid on behalf of the beneficiary of a SNT; amend KRS 21.420, relating to the Judicial Retirement Plan, to allow for a SNT to be selected as a beneficiary, and define "special needs trust"; amend KRS 21.425 to allow a member to designate a SNT to receive lifetime survivorship benefits on behalf of a surviving spouse, dependent child, or disabled child.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-03 — signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 18)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- D. Carrollprimary
- R. Webbprimary
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-03
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 18)
executive-signature
2026-03-27
delivered to Governor
2026-03-27
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
passage
2026-03-27
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
passage
2026-03-27
received in Senate
2026-03-27
3rd reading, passed 90-0
passage,reading-3
2026-03-26
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, March 27 2026
2026-03-20
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-03-19
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-03-16
to State Government (H)
referral-committee
2026-02-19
to Committee on Committees (H)
referral-committee
2026-02-19
received in House
2026-02-18
3rd reading, passed 36-0
passage,reading-3
2026-02-13
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, February 18 2026
2026-02-05
2nd reading, to Rules
reading-2
2026-02-04
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
committee-passage
2026-02-02
to State & Local Government (S)
referral-committee
2026-01-13
to Committee on Committees (S)
referral-committee
2026-01-13
introduced in Senate
introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
PASS SB 85
2026-02-18 · pass · 36-0
Member-level votes (38)
- Berg: yes
- Girdler: yes
- Mills: yes
- Storm: yes
- Boswell: yes
- Givens: yes
- Neal: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Carpenter: yes
- Herron: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Tichenor: yes
- Carroll: yes
- Higdon: yes
- Nunn: yes
- Webb: yes
- ChambersArmstrong: yes
- Howell: yes
- Rawlings: yes
- West: yes
- Clemons: yes
- Madon: yes
- Reed: yes
- Wheeler: yes
- Deneen: yes
- Mays Bledsoe: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Williams: yes
- Douglas: yes
- McDaniel: yes
- Smith: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Funke Frommeyer: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stivers: yes
- Wise: yes
- Elkins: not voting
- Raque Adams: not voting
Pass
2026-03-27 · pass · 90-0
Member-level votes (100)
- Aull: yes
- Dietz: yes
- Hancock: yes
- McCool: yes
- Roberts: yes
- Baker: yes
- Doan: yes
- Hart: yes
- McPherson: yes
- Sharp: yes
- Banta: yes
- Donworth: yes
- Heavrin: yes
- Meade: yes
- Smith: yes
- Bauman: yes
- Dotson: yes
- Hodgson: yes
- Meredith: yes
- Stalker: yes
- Bivens: yes
- Duvall: yes
- Holloway: yes
- Miles: yes
- Stevenson P: yes
- Blanton: yes
- Elliott: yes
- Huff T: yes
- Moore: yes
- Tackett Laferty: yes
- Bojanowski: yes
- Fister: yes
- Imes: yes
- Moser: yes
- Tate: yes
- Branscum: yes
- Flannery: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Neighbors: yes
- Thomas: yes
- Bratcher S.: yes
- Fleming: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Nemes: yes
- Thompson: yes
- Bridges: yes
- Freeland: yes
- King: yes
- Osborne: yes
- Tipton: yes
- Brown: yes
- Fugate: yes
- Kulkarni: yes
- Payne: yes
- Truett: yes
- Burke: yes
- Gentry: yes
- Lehman: yes
- Petrie: yes
- Upchurch: yes
- Callaway: yes
- Gooch: yes
- Lewis C: yes
- Pollock: yes
- Watkins: yes
- Calloway: yes
- Gordon: yes
- Lewis S: yes
- Proctor: yes
- Wesley: yes
- Camuel: yes
- Griffee: yes
- Lockett: yes
- Rabourn: yes
- Whitaker: yes
- Chester-Burton: yes
- Grossberg: yes
- Maddox: yes
- Raymer: yes
- Willner: yes
- Clines: yes
- Grossl: yes
- Marzian: yes
- Riley: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Decker: yes
- Hale: yes
- Massaroni: yes
- Roarx: yes
- Witten: yes
- Bowling: not voting
- Dossett: not voting
- Koch: not voting
- Lewis D: not voting
- White: not voting
- Bray: not voting
- Hampton: not voting
- Lawrence: not voting
- Rudy: not voting
- Williams: not voting
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:22:24.357326Z
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