KRS 95A.020: Kentucky Fire Commission.

(1) As used in this section, "chief fire officer" means an individual who plays an essential role in the administrative structure of his or her fire department.

(2) There is hereby created the Kentucky Fire Commission, hereinafter called

"commission," which sh all be attached to the Kentucky Community and Technical

College System for administrative purposes only.

(3) (a) The commission shall include male, female, and racial minority

representation.

(b) No more than three (3) appointed members shall reside in the same

congressional district.

(4) The commission shall be composed of eighteen (18) members who are residents of

the State of Kentucky and appointed by the Governor, as applicable. These

members should be persons well qualified by experience or education in the field of

fire protection or related fields.

(5) The membership of the commission shall include:

(a) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 75 or 273

who is:

1. Not a chief fire officer;

2. Not a career employee of any department other than the one from which

he or she is nominated; and

3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the

Kentucky Firefighters Association;

(b) One (1) member of a volunteer fire department who is:

1. Not a chief fire officer;

2. Not a career employee of any fire department other than the one from

which he or she is nominated; and

3. Selected from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the

Kentucky Firefighters Association;

(c) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 95 selected

from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Professional

Firefighters;

(d) One (1) chief fire officer of a paid fire department selected from a list of at

least three (3) names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;

(e) One (1) licensed physician with experience in emergency medicine;

(f) A chief fire officer of a volunteer fire department who is not a career member

of any other department, selected from a l ist of at least three (3) names

submitted by the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs;

(g) One (1) member of a fire department formed under KRS Chapter 67 or 75, or

a fire department in a county containing an urban -county government created

pursuant to KRS Chapter 67A, who is selected from a list of at least three (3)

names submitted by the Kentucky Professional Firefighters;

(h) The director of Homeland Security or his or her designee;

(i) One (1) mayor or other officer of a Kentucky city providing fire ser vices

under KRS Chapter 95 selected from a list of at least three (3) names

submitted by the Kentucky League of Cities;

(j) One (1) county judge/executive or other officer of a Kentucky county selected

from a list of at least three (3) names submitted by t he Kentucky Association

of Counties;

(k) One (1) representative of a Kentucky building, industry, or safety association;

(l) One (1) representative of the general public who is not an employee of any

government or governmental agency;

(m) The state fire marshal or his or her designee;

(n) One (1) officer of a fire -based emergency medical service selected from a list

of at least three (3) names submitted by the executive director of the Kentucky

Board of Emergency Medical Services;

(o) The president of the K entucky Community and Technical College System or

his or her designee;

(p) The president of the Kentucky Firefighters Association or his or her designee;

(q) The president of the Kentucky Professional Firefighters or his or her designee;

and

(r) The presid ent of the Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs or his or her

designee.

(6) The members of the commission who are firefighters shall possess a minimum of

five (5) years of fire service experience and shall be certified with the following:

(a) One hundred fifty (150) hours of training for volunteer firefighters; or

(b) Four hundred (400) hours of training for professional firefighters.

(7) The Kentucky Firefighters Association, Kentucky Professional Firefighters,

Kentucky Association of Fire Chiefs, Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical

Services Association, Kentucky League of Cities, and Kentucky Association of

Counties shall submit their lists of nominees by November 15 of each year as

vacancies occur.

(8) (a) Appointive members shall be appointed by the Gover nor under subsection

(5)(a) to (g), (i) to (l), and (n) of this section for a term of four (4) years.

(b) The terms of the members set out in subsection (5)(h), (m), and (o) to (r) of

this section shall be concurrent with and by virtue of his or her office.

(c) Any member chosen by the Governor to fill a vacancy created otherwise than

by expiration of term shall be appointed for the unexpired term of the member

he or she is chosen to succeed.

(9) When vacancies occur other than by expiration of term and nominations are

required, the Governor may request a new list or select an appointee from a

previously submitted list. Appointive members shall not serve more than two ( 2)

consecutive four (4) year terms.

(10) A majority of the voting members appointed to the commission shall constitute a

quorum. The commission shall:

(a) Meet at least four (4) times per year upon call of the chair, or upon the written

request of any five (5) members; and

(b) Annually elect a chair, vice chair, and secretary in accordance with KRS

95A.030.

(11) A member of the commission who misses three (3) regular meetings, without the

approval of the chairman, in one (1) year shall be deemed to have res igned from the

commission and his or her position shall be deemed to be vacant. As used in this

subsection, a "year" begins when the first meeting is missed and ends three hundred

sixty-five (365) days later or when the third meeting is missed, whichever o ccurs

first. The Governor shall appoint a similarly qualified person to fill the vacancy

within ninety (90) days of the vacancy occurring. The failure of a commission

member to attend a special or emergency meeting shall not result in any penalty. A

person removed under this subsection shall not be reappointed to the commission

for at least ten (10) years after removal.

(12) Members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services but

shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses in curred in the performance of

their functions.