Blueprint Legislative Priority

Strengthen Quality and Access to Child Care

House Bill 6 would help ensure quality child care to children with disabilities by increasing training to providers and allowing on-site therapy (when available) with parent permission, strengthen the Children Care Assistance Program and the Employee Child Care Assistance Partnership program, and more.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet. Check out this deep dive into HB 6.

HB 6 is a Face It policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Assess the Impact of State Policy on Kids and Families

House Bill 51 would require the Legislative Research Commission to prepare a family impact statement for bills or resolutions introduced by the Kentucky General Assembly.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 51 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Ensure Kids have a Safe Learning Environment, Free from Abuse

House Bill 102 would reduce the risk of sexual abuse of students by prohibiting nondisclosure agreements related to misconduct involving school district staff and students. It also mandates appropriate disclosures, recurrent background checks and thorough reference checks, complete investigations, and establishes related training requirements.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 102 is a Face It policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Families’ Access to Clean Diapers

House Bill 114 would create tax exemptions for baby and personal products, including diapers.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 114 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Promote Family Housing Stability

House Bill 338 would require dismissed evictions be expunged from records, prohibit minors from being named on eviction filings, and more.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 338 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Protect Children and Families from Utility Disconnection

House Bill 377 would create extreme temperature standards for disconnection of service by retail electric and gas utilities, a process for reestablishing service, and establish other standards related to utility disconnections.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 377 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Strengthen Family Legal Representation

House Bill 598, known as the Family Representation and Advocacy Act, would establish the Department of Family Representation and Advocacy as an independent agency to strengthen the quality and consistency of guardians ad litem and other court-appointed counsel in child welfare cases. It would centralize attorney appointment, compensation, training, and oversight and create a commission to oversee the department’s work.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Positive Youth Development

House Bill 686 would establish the Kentucky Positive Youth Development commission and trust fund — consisting of any incoming social media settlements monies, in addition to state appropriations, gifts, grants, and federal funds — to support the research and development of positive youth development programming for children and transition age youth. It also establishes a Suicide Awareness and Reduction Network within the State Interagency Council.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 686 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Families’ Access to Clean Diapers

House Bill 865 would exempt diapers from state sales tax.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

HB 865 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Families with Access to Paid Leave

Senate Bill 14 would ensure state employees have access to six weeks of paid family leave after the birth of a child.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Families’ Access to Clean Diapers

Senate Bill 58 would establish the Kentucky Diaper Access Fund and its functions.

House Bill 302 is the companion bill in the House.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

SB 58 and HB 302 are Bloom Kentucky policy priorities.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Youth Nicotine Prevention and Cessation Efforts

Senate Bill 74 would direct funds awarded to Kentucky as part of the JUUL settlement to be allocated toward tobacco and nicotine prevention and cessation programming.

House Bill 187 is the companion bill in the House.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Promote Family Housing Stability

Senate Bill 83 would require dismissed evictions be expunged from records and prohibit minors from being named on eviction filings.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

SB 83 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Protect Children and Families from Utility Disconnection

Senate Bill 88 would require utility companies to submit a disconnection plan to the Public Service Commission that prohibits the utility from suspending residential service during extreme weather conditions.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

SB 88 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Families’ Access to Clean Diapers

Senate Bill 258 would exempt diapers from state sales tax.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

SB 258 is a Bloom Kentucky policy priority.

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Ensure the Basic Legal Rights of Kids

Senate Bill 358 would require peace officers or court designated workers to arrange for a child to consult with an attorney prior to an interview or interrogation and before waiving their Miranda rights.

Review the Blueprint for Kentucky’s Children policy priority fact sheet.

Summary

HB 4 would define grooming of a minor child as criminal offense.

Read more about HB 4 and understanding and recognizing grooming behaviors.

HB 4 is a Face It policy priority.

Summary

HB 154 would remove the statute of limitations for civil actions arising from childhood sexual assault or abuse.

HB 595 seeks to do the same.

Summary

HB 227 would create guardrails for AI companion platforms and social media platforms by requiring age verification procedures and parental rights around account management, prohibiting “addictive features” for users who are minors, and authorizing the Attorney General to enforce violations.

Summary

Known as Kyan’s Law, HB 246, would require animal control officers to receive training on recognizing child abuse.

HB 246 is a Face It policy priority.

Summary

HB 281 would exempt charitable food donors, such as nonprofit or religious organizations, distributing food at homeless shelters or natural disaster sites from specific KRS licensing requirements.

Summary

HB 333 would allow certain exemptions for religious institutions building affordable housing.

Summary

HB 418 would ensure domestic violence allegations are meaningfully considered and children appropriately represented during custody proceedings. It also prohibits custody removals or reduced parenting time for nonoffending parents and requires 16 hours of related training for paid visitation supervisors and Guardian Ad Litems, among other items.

Summary

HB 528 would set timelines for the appointment of a search committee for the superintendent of the Kentucky School for the Deaf and for the appointment of the superintendent.

Summary

HB 608, known as Trey’s Law, would declare any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement or provision void that prohibits the disclosure of an act of sexual abuse.

Summary

HB 621 would require the Kentucky Department of Education to set regulations for the maximum class size and caseload for special education services for children and youth.

Summary

HB 669 would prohibit the Cabinet for Health and Family Services from using a foster child’s earned federal benefits to reimburse the state, require the Cabinet to determine benefit eligibility, and establish a program allowing youth in care to access portions of those funds.

Summary

HCR 36 would establish the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force Task Force to meet monthly in the 2026 interim and submit a report by December 1, 2026.

Summary

HCR 108 would establish the Early Childhood Education Governance and Outcomes Task Force to meet monthly in the 2026 interim and submit a report by December 1, 2026.

Summary

HJR 50 would direct the Auditor of Public Accounts to commission a study of applicable statutes, administrative regulations, and agency policies that impact the opening and operating of licensed and certified child care services and report its findings and recommendations.

Summary

HJR 88 would direct the Kentucky Department of Education to study expanding access to free and reduced-price school meals at schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.

Summary

SB 81 would establish a refundable Kentucky child credit for taxpayers with children under the age of 6 with a maximum credit of $1,000 per qualifying child for individuals with income below $50,000 for single taxpayers and $100,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly.

Summary

SB 122 would require the courts to consider alternative sentencing options when the individual has committed a non-violent offense and is the primary caregiver to a dependent child. It would also promote rehabilitative options that support the parent-child relationship and improve family stability.

House Bill 464 is the companion bill in the House.

Summary

SB 156 would prohibit marriage with a person under 18 years old and repeal the statute allowing 17-year-olds to marry with court permission.

Summary

SB 170 would establish a pilot program to be known as ‘Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration’ in at least 10 school districts to address barriers to attendance and successful completion of diversion programs for students in grades 6-12. It would require students who have missed more than 5 days of school and their parents to participate in the program.

House Bill 492 is the companion bill in the House.

Summary

SB 204 would enhance the penalty of criminal abuse or neglect when a child under the age of 13 suffers serious physical injury due to ingesting or inhaling a controlled substance. It would also require several professions, including law enforcement, child care, medical, and social workers, to complete at least one hour of continuing education training on pediatric ingestions and inhalations every three years, among other items.

Summary

SB 289 would expand the criteria for issuing an Amber Alert to include when a child’s disappearance may not have been voluntary and their physical safety may be endangered, in addition to if the child is committed to the Department of Juvenile Justice or in the temporary custody of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Summary

SB 304 would require gun owners to secure their firearms in a lock box or with a gun lock when not un use and to report any lost or stolen firearms or ammunition to the police.

Summary

SB 337 would allow the Attorney General’s Office to pass through funds from child support payments to recipients of public assistance.

Summary

SJR 54 would direct the Department for Libraries and Archives and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to collaborate in order to maximize utilization and expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Program.