(LEX 18) — Kentucky National Guard members could soon receive emergency response pay when called to active duty during a state of emergency, after the state House passed legislation aimed at strengthening financial support for Guard members.
House Bill 364, sponsored by Rep. Steve Bratcher of Elizabethtown, would make National Guard members eligible for hazard pay during the initial response period of up to 72 hours following activation — or longer if necessary. The bill passed the House and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Bratcher said Guard members are often among the first to respond during disasters, assisting with rescue operations, securing infrastructure, distributing supplies, and supporting local first responders under hazardous and demanding conditions.
"These citizen-soldiers do not serve in some distant abstraction. They are our neighbors. They are teachers, mechanics, nurses, farmers, police officers, and small business owners. They coach our children's teams on the weekends and worship beside us on Sundays," Bratcher said. "And, when disaster strikes – whether it's devastating tornadoes in Western Kentucky, historic flooding in Eastern Kentucky, or civil emergencies requiring immediate response – it is the Kentucky National Guard who answers the call."
Bratcher emphasized that the pay is not a bonus but a form of recognition for the sacrifices Guard members make when activated.
"Commonwealth Emergency Response Pay is not a bonus. It is not a luxury. It is recognition. It is respect made tangible. And, it is the right thing to do," Bratcher said. "When the governor activates them during states of emergency, they leave their families and their civilian jobs behind. Many take pay cuts to serve. Some step into environments that are unstable, unpredictable, and at times life-threatening."
More information on HB 364 is available at legislature.ky.gov.
