Bill > SB209

This bill establishes the External Detainee Fatality Review Panel, an independent entity attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, to conduct comprehensive reviews of all deaths occurring while individuals are in the custody of law enforcement agencies, county or regional jails, or facilities operated by the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, including those run by private contractors. The panel will not review deaths in non-residential programs or of individuals who are absent without leave, escapees, or on long-term transfer. The panel will consist of 16 non-voting ex officio members representing various government offices and organizations, and 7 voting members including retired judges, pathologists, a mental health professional, and citizens. These voting members will elect a chairperson and establish panel procedures, with terms of two years and provisions for recusal and removal. The panel is mandated to meet at least quarterly, collect and review reports related to detainee deaths, and can request further information from relevant agencies. It will post updates on its findings and recommendations online, submit an annual report to state officials and legislative bodies, and its meetings discussing individual cases may be held in closed session, with a summary provided afterward. Information provided to the panel will remain confidential and exempt from public records requests, with copies destroyed after review, though panel members are protected from liability except for violations of confidentiality rules. The Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee will conduct an annual evaluation of the panel's operations.

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb209.html