The Department for Local Government must run an annual training program for county officials, send advance notices, and follow timing and session limits; some actions are allowed, but county officials cannot be required to attend.
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 establish 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 review 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 to 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 Government; 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 pursuit 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 year. 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 any 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 participation 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. Effective: July 15, 2010 History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 117, sec. 8, effective July 15, 2010. -- Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 47, sec. 69, effective June 26, 2007. -- Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 562, effective June 20, 2005. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 69, sec. 55, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 13, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1984. -- Created 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 383, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982.