Frankfort, KY. — State lawmakers—not the head of the Department of Revenue—would adjust insurance surcharge rates for Kentucky’s law enforcement and firefighter training incentive funds under a bill that cleared the state House. House Bill 176, sponsored by Rep. Adam Koenig, would remove the state Commissioner of Revenue’s authority to set premium surcharge rates for funding of training stipends offered through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEFPF) and the Kentucky Firefighters Foundation Program Fund (KFFPF) and give that power to the General Assembly. “I believe that tax rate should be set by us, the elected representatives of Kentucky, rather than the commissioner of revenue,” Koenig, R-Erlanger, told his colleagues in the House. Koenig said the Commissioner of Revenue has had statutory authority to adjust the premium surcharge rates since 1992. The current rate of 1.8 percent was set by the Commissioner of Revenue in 2010, he said. An amendment to HB 176 approved by the House would keep the rate at 1.8 percent “so that the fund doesn’t lose any money if this passes,” said Koenig. Rep. Steven Rudy, R-Paducah, voted for the bill. “I applaud you for bringing this legislation,” he told Koenig. “This is truly our job to do this and not the bureaucracy’s.” HB 176 passed the House on a vote of 84-11. It now goes to the Senate for its consideration.