House Passes Rep. Meredith’s Bill to Ease Regulatory Burden on Small Religious Organizations

FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 3, 2017) –The House passed a measure this week exempting churches and other religious organizations from being required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance for certain ministers and caretakers in Kentucky. House Bill 306, which is sponsored by Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Brownsville, will relieve small churches of burdensome insurance premiums and fines for non-compliance.
 
“Small rural churches are the cornerstone of many Kentucky communities,” said Rep. Meredith. “Many congregations are small and members and pastors work for little or no pay because of limited budgets. This measure will prevent smaller religious organizations from being bankrupted by onerous and unnecessary fines.”
 
In the past, churches have been fined thousands of dollars for failing to provide workers’ compensation insurance for volunteer and part-time pastors. This bill will create an exemption for caretakers who are unpaid and work fewer than 10 hours per week from having to be covered by workers’ compensation insurance.
 
The measure passed the House and is now headed to the Senate for consideration and, if passed, will be signed by the governor into law.