KRS 147A.025: Instruction program for county officials.

(1) Except as provided in subsection (7) of this section, the Department for Local

Government, with the advice and approval of the state local finance officer,

annually shall conduct a program to instruct county clerks, sheriffs, jailers, and

county treasurers respecting their duties and responsibilities in the collection and

expenditure of public moneys, subject to their control and jurisdiction.

(2) The Department for Local Government, with the advice and approval of the state

local finance officer, shall est ablish the content and publish instructional materials

essential to implementing this program. Subsequent to every regular and

extraordinary session of the General Assembly, the Department for Local

Government, with the state local finance officer, shall r eview and revise, if

necessary, the program when it is found not to be consistent with state law.

(3) The Department for Local Government may assess a charge to any person

requesting copies of instructional materials published as provided by this section t o

cover actual costs of printing and handling these materials, except that no county

official shall be charged for instructional materials provided for his use. Funds

accruing from the sale of instructional materials shall be paid into the State

Treasury, and the State Treasurer shall pay these funds into an account of the

Department for Local Government to defray the costs of printing and handling these

materials.

(4) The commissioner of the Department for Local Government, with the advice and

approval of the state local finance officer, may prescribe completion standards for

this program, and may, subject to subsection (6) of this section, establish the

number, type, and sequence of instructional sessions to be conducted by the

Department for Local Governm ent; but the commissioner of the Department for

Local Government shall not require the attendance of any county official, nor shall

he prescribe any requirement or standard that restricts or impairs a county official or

elected candidate in the lawful purs uit or conduct of the office to which he is

elected.

(5) The Department for Local Government shall notify in advance each county clerk,

sheriff, jailer, and county treasurer respecting instructional session pertinent to his

office. Notification shall be by mail, and it shall be posted no later than twenty -one

(21) days prior to the instructional session. At a minimum, the notice shall give the

date, time, place, and title of the instruction session.

(6) The Department for Local Government shall conduct this program by providing a

one (1) day session at various locations throughout this state in order to minimize

the travel expenses of those officials attending, provided that the aggregate number

of all sessions shall not exceed five (5) during any calendar y ear. Except as

provided in subsection (7) of this section, the Department for Local Government

may commence instruction anytime during a calendar year.

(7) The Department for Local Government shall not conduct a program as provided by

this section during a ny calendar year when a general election is held for every

constitutional county office. The Department for Local Government, however, shall

commence instruction for the succeeding year within eighty (80) days following

said general election.

(8) Every county official who attends an instructional session shall be paid his actual

and necessary expenses in attending from the operating funds of his office.

(9) In fulfilling the requirements of this section, the Department for Local Government

shall confer with and coordinate its duties and responsibilities with the Finance and

Administration Cabinet and the Auditor of Public Accounts. The Department for

Local Government shall also confer with those state universities whose mission

statements mandate their parti cipation in the training of public officials, the state

associations for those officials listed in subsection (1) of this section, and the

Kentucky Association of Counties, respecting the implementation of this section.