Blueprint Legislative Priority

Create Safe and Nurturing Learning Environments

House Bill 22 would eliminate the use of corporal punishment in schools.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

End the Epidemic of E-cigarette Use Among Youth

House Bill 32 would enact a tax on e-cigarettes that is nearly equivalent to the current tax on cigarettes to help prevent e-cigarette use among youth.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Strengthen Statute of Limitations Timeframes for Cases of Child Sexual Abuse

HB 47 would create an opportunity for child victims of sexual assault or abuse to seek justice through civil claims or to pursue criminal charges by extending the length of time they are able to do so.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Establish a Minimum Age of Jurisdiction

House Bill 203 would establish a minimum age that a child can be charged with an offense and connecting the child to family-focused services to prevent children from entering the maze of the juvenile justice system.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Prioritize Investments for Children who have Experienced Abuse and Neglect by Supporting Kinship Caregivers

House Bill 628 would ensure, in part, that kinship caregivers receive information about child-specific foster homes and the supports available, as well as immediate receipt of the one-time Relative Placement Support Benefit.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Protect Children in Foster Care

Senate Bill 40 would close the gaps in fingerprint background checks and better protect children in foster care by requiring foster care agencies to screen their employees for criminal charges.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Support Children’s Healthy Growth and Development

Senate Bill 45 would strengthen licensed child care program standards on healthy eating and drinking, active play, and screen time.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Protect Kentucky Youth from E-cigarettes and Other Harmful Tobacco Products

Senate Bill 56 would ensure Kentucky complies with the federal minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products and eliminate purchase, use, and possession penalties for youth up to age 21 so children and teens can grow into healthier adults.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

End Mandatory Transfer of Youth to Adult Court for Certain Offenses

Senate Bill 87 would expand court discretion by eliminating the mandatory transfer of youth age 14 and older to adult court for certain offenses.

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

Blueprint Legislative Priority

Ensure a Permanent Home for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care

Senate Bill 92 would allowing youth transitioning out of foster care who have not been adopted to safely reunify with their birth parents by creating a path to reinstate parental rights.

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

Summary

HB 2 would require airports and truck stops to post the hotline number of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center in all restrooms and add commercial sexual activity to the definition of “sex crime.”

Summary

HB 131 would require data collection on homicides when domestic violence is a circumstance.

Summary

HB 147 would limit the use of solitary confinement for juveniles and require reporting of data on its use.

Summary

HB 153 would establish the Kentucky Mental Health First Aid Training Program or similar program to be administered by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Summary

HB 158 would ban the sale, purchase, and distribution of flavored vapor products, including through online transactions.

Summary

HB 176 would establish twelve weeks of paid parental leave for new parents who have worked at larger companies for at least a year. Paid parental leave after the birth of a child lessens the risk of pediatric abusive head trauma and contributes to the healthy development of infants and toddlers.

Summary

HB 213 would establish that any qualified mental health professional may provide outpatient mental health counseling to any unaccompanied child who is age 16 or older.

Summary

HB 222 would continue efforts to minimize the impact of parental incarceration by automatically expunging certain offenses.

Summary

HB 255 would prohibit youth under age 18 from using a cellphone or other electronic device while operating a motor vehicle.

Summary

HB 259 would require safe, secure storage of firearms to protect children.

Summary

HB 295 would require 25 minutes of exercise each day for students up to grade 8.

Summary

HB 312 would streamline processes with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Kentucky Department of Education to ensure timely transitions and sharing of information when children in foster care transfer schools.

Summary

SB 15 would propose a Constitutional Amendment for Kentuckians to vote on to increase protections for children who are victims of crimes by establishing rights during and after the court process.

Summary

SB 72 would establish efforts to prevent, report, and build awareness about female genital mutilation.

Summary

SB 78 would require children under the age of 12 to wear a helmet when operating or being a passenger on a bicycle.

Summary

SB 80 would increase protections for children who are victims of crimes by establishing rights during and after the court process.

Summary

SB 115 would extend the flexibility of higher education tuition waivers for youth in foster care.

Summary

SB 127 would extend the eligibility of youth in foster care for higher education tuition waivers.

Summary

SB 135 would strengthen the definition of “sexual contact” to further protect children and other victims in cases against perpetrators of sexual abuse.

Summary

SB 158 would improve the quality of the assessment and accountability system of schools and strengthen turnaround supports to ensure the best educational outcomes of children.

Summary

SB 183 would prohibit any type of school enrollment change for a child when a parent or guardian is under investigation of child abuse or neglect.