What are Impact Statements?

Impact statements are used by local, state, and federal agencies and branches of government to assess implications of proposed legislation, administrative procedures, cases, amongst other decisions. Impact statements can cover topics such as  criminal justice, environment, higher education, poverty, open government, amongst other areas of focus. 

Most widely known are fiscal impact statements which examine budget implications and may include information related to estimated costs and potential savings of a proposed measure.

What types of impact statements are used by the Kentucky General Assembly?

Legislatively, Kentucky utilizes correctional impact statements which evaluate the impact of legislation on the state’s correctional system, local mandate statements which examine the impact of legislation on local governments, and most commonly, fiscal impact statements.

Such statements provide valuable information and may highlight outcomes both positively and negatively related to proposed legislation, but ideally they are created to guide decision-making. Considering the widespread implications of policy decisions on children and families, there is a great need for legislators to understand how their work may shape the conditions that surround Kentucky’s families. HB248 of the 2025 Regular Session elevated this notion that impacts on families should be considered when legislation is being crafted.

What are Child Impact Assessments?

Kids Impact describes child impact assessments as, “an agreed-upon set of questions— combined with awareness-building, training, and structured reporting—that summarizes the potential effects of a proposed or existing law, policy, program, or practice on young people and that, as a result of this process, advances policies that benefit children’s wellbeing”. 

To produce child impact statements, staff in government agencies may partner with philanthropic groups, nonprofits, universities, and other entities with expertise in the area in question, typically using a set of agreed-upon questions or criteria. 

Examples of questions include:

  • How will this policy affect the physical, mental, or emotional health of children and youth?
  • Will this policy strengthen or weaken family stability and caregiving relationships?

Some assessments have included criteria across domains that impact family including education, health, family & community, and economic security. 

How can Child Impact Assessments help improve outcomes for children and families?

Child and family impact assessments would aid in providing a more comprehensive understanding of how decisions may affect children and research by Kids Impact shows that when used over time, these assessments can “shift cultural values toward consistently making children a high priority”. Kentucky legislators could utilize such statements for education and as a tool to develop policies aligned with data and research about kids and families. 

As we look to the 2026 session, Kentucky has the opportunity to lead the country and be the first to create greater accountability of policymaking decisions to child and family wellbeing.

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