---
type: "Bill"
title: "AN ACT relating to the investigation of fire related crimes. Amend KRS 15.310 to include definitions of \"certified fire investigator\" and \"fire investigator\"; amend KRS 15.334 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a course of training for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.380 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to certify fire investigators; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to list the minimum qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.383 to require a certified fire investigator to annually meet marksmanship qualifications; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to allow the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to revoke a fire investigator's certification; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to require a fire investigator to complete training of at least 275 hours; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to establish certification categories for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.388 to require the fire chief to notify the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council that the employee meets the precertification qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.442 to specify that a fire investigator is not eligible to participate in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; and create a new section of KRS Chapter 95A to define \"fire investigator,\" and provide that the chief of a fire department may appoint a professional firefighter to be a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.382 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2019."
description: "AN ACT relating to the investigation of fire related crimes. Amend KRS 15.310 to include definitions of \"certified fire investigator\" and \"fire investigator\"; amend KRS 15.334 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a course of training for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.380 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to certify fire investigators; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to list the minimum qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.383 to require a certified fire investigator to annually meet marksmanship qualifications; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to allow the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to revoke a fire investigator's certification; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to require a fire investigator to complete training of at least 275 hours; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to establish certification categories for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.388 to require the fire chief to notify the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council that the employee meets the precertification qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.442 to specify that a fire investigator is not eligible to participate in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; and create a new section of KRS Chapter 95A to define \"fire investigator,\" and provide that the chief of a fire department may appoint a professional firefighter to be a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.382 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2019."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ky"
legislature: "Kentucky General Assembly"
session: "2018RS"
identifier: "HB 96"
citation: "Kentucky HB 96 (2018RS)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["B. Reed", "J. Sims Jr", "M. Hart"]
version_count: 3
action_count: 26
vote_count: 0
first_action: "2018-01-02"
last_action: "2018-04-10"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/1c9042be-19c2-40b2-ad4e-d6f7d5c2fd55"
source_url: "http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/18RS/HB96.htm"
source_hash: "c639041a33903752ac0c400b4af63721df495747057138a5edd9b0e79b4721af"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ky"]
---

# Kentucky HB 96 (2018RS) — AN ACT relating to the investigation of fire related crimes. Amend KRS 15.310 to include definitions of "certified fire investigator" and "fire investigator"; amend KRS 15.334 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to promulgate administrative regulations to establish a course of training for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.380 to require the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to certify fire investigators; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to list the minimum qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.383 to require a certified fire investigator to annually meet marksmanship qualifications; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to allow the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to revoke a fire investigator's certification; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to require a fire investigator to complete training of at least 275 hours; create a new section of KRS 15.380 to 15.404 to establish certification categories for fire investigators; amend KRS 15.388 to require the fire chief to notify the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council that the employee meets the precertification qualifications of a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.442 to specify that a fire investigator is not eligible to participate in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program fund; and create a new section of KRS Chapter 95A to define "fire investigator," and provide that the chief of a fire department may appoint a professional firefighter to be a fire investigator; amend KRS 15.382 to conform; EFFECTIVE January 1, 2019.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **HB 96 (As Introduced)** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.lrc.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/18RS/HB96/orig_bill.pdf)
2. **HCS1** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.lrc.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/18RS/HB96/HCS1.pdf)
3. **Most Recent Version** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.lrc.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/18RS/HB96/bill.pdf)

## Sponsors

- B. Reed — primary (person)
- J. Sims Jr — primary (person)
- M. Hart — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-01-02** Introduced in House `introduction`
- **2018-01-04** To Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection (H) `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-02** Posted in committee
- **2018-02-07** Reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) `reading-1`
- **2018-02-08** 2nd reading, to Rules `reading-2`
- **2018-02-08** Recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
- **2018-03-01** Posted in committee
- **2018-03-06** Reported favorably, to Rules as a Consent Bill
- **2018-03-08** Posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Friday, March 9, 2018
- **2018-03-09** 3rd reading, passed 84-0 with Committee Substitute (1) `reading-3, passage`
- **2018-03-12** Received in Senate
- **2018-03-13** To Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S) `referral-committee`
- **2018-03-20** Taken from Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
- **2018-03-20** 1st reading `reading-1`
- **2018-03-20** Returned to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
- **2018-03-21** Taken from Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
- **2018-03-21** 2nd reading `reading-2`
- **2018-03-21** Returned to Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection (S)
- **2018-03-22** Reported favorably, to Rules as a consent bill
- **2018-03-27** Posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Thursday, March 29, 2018
- **2018-03-29** 3rd reading, passed 37-0 `reading-3, passage`
- **2018-03-29** Received in House
- **2018-03-29** Enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- **2018-03-29** Enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- **2018-03-29** Delivered to Governor
- **2018-04-10** Signed by Governor (Acts, ch. 128) `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/1c9042be-19c2-40b2-ad4e-d6f7d5c2fd55`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kentucky legislature records).