2022 KACo Legislative Priority:

Advocate for an increase in the hourly reimbursement rate for Court Security Officers, which is currently at $9 an hour.

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Download policy brief here

State statute requires that counties must provide court security officers for Circuit Court and District Court. The reimbursement rate for court security officers has been set in the Executive Branch Budget at $9.00 an hour since the 2012 Regular Session. Wages and benefits for court security officers far exceeds $9.00 an hour, leaving counties to pay the difference.

Summary:

• In 2020, the average hourly wage for bailiffs in Kentucky was $12.45.¹
• For a county to pay this average hourly wage for court security officers, it costs them at least $16.75 an hour including the CERS and payroll tax employer contribution. This does not include health insurance or other employee benefits.
• The cost to counties to pay the average hourly wage for court security officers is at least $7.75 an hour more than the reimbursement they receive from the state.

 

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Survey. Kentucky (May 2020).

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