Tonight the Senate took an historic step by passing HB 8 to extend protective orders to people in dating relationships. This legislation represents a  priority on the Blueprint for Kentucky's Children because it will help protect victims of teen dating violence and children of parents who experience dating violence. With violence having such a negative long-term impact on child health and well-being, it is imperative to provide immediate protections to people in these situations. We [...]

Today's passage of House Bill 429 by the Kentucky Senate with a vote of 36-0 will help ensure a strong child care sector in Kentucky. Affordable, reliable child care allows parents to work while their children are cared for in a safe setting, and serves as a critical piece of our local economies. House Bill 429 establishes a child care advisory council to ensure that parents and providers can work with state agencies to ensure a range of [...]

Today was a great day for kids in Frankfort as SB 119, which will ensure educators receive important information on how to recognize signs of child abuse, passed the Kentucky House. The Senate then concurred with the House changes which means this bill is on to the Governor for his signature! With an average of 49 kids each day experiencing abuse, over half of them school age, it's important for all professionals who regularly interact with [...]

Two bills with identical language moving through each chamber made it a step closer to becoming reality in the Kentucky legislature today to help protect children from abuse and neglect. HB 301 sponsored by Representative Rita Smart passed the Senate Education Committee and SB 119 sponsored by Senator Julie Raque Adams passed the House Education Committee today. These bills will ensure that educators, who already do a great job of keeping kids safe, receive important [...]

Today was an historic step forward in the effort to protect additional victims from violence. HB 8 to extend protective orders to people in dating relationships cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee today. The bill has made it through the House in the past, but this is the first time the bill has passed a Senate committee. HB 8 will help protect teens who experience violence in dating relationships. It will also help protect children of [...]

Today's passage of House Bill 429 by the Kentucky House with a vote of 95-0 is a crucial step forward in ensuring a strong child care sector in Kentucky. HB 429 creates a child care council to work with stakeholders and state agencies across the state to ensure multiple child care options are available to working parents. It's important to ensure quality child care options are available so parents can work while knowing their children [...]

Today’s passage of HB 301 by the Kentucky House means that we are one step closer on an important bill that will help protect children from abuse and neglect. HB 301 ensures that educators, who already do a great job of keeping kids safe, receive information on the signs to look for to recognize child abuse and neglect. The bill builds on successes from previous legislative sessions to ensure professionals who interact with children know [...]

Contact: Andrea Bennett abennett@kyyouth.org 502-381-1176 Jeffersontown, KY - A new KIDS COUNT® data snapshot, co-released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Kentucky Youth Advocates, highlights a more holistic way to assess child poverty across the country than the federal government's outdated official poverty measure created in the 1960s. Measuring Access to Opportunity in the United States points to a different index for measuring poverty - the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) - which captures the [...]

Today’s passage of HB 301 by the House Education Committee is an important step forward in protecting children from abuse and neglect. HB 301 builds on previous legislative successes to ensure professionals who interact with children know how to recognize signs of child abuse and neglect. HB 301 will provide school personnel with education on early warning signs of child abuse and neglect and how to intervene. HB 301 will ensure teachers, who already do [...]

Jeffersontown, KY - Today's passage of SB 119 by the Kentucky Senate is an encouraging step forward in the effort to protect children from abuse and neglect. SB 119 will support the great job educators do in protecting children by ensuring they receive education on recognizing signs of child abuse and neglect. This is an important step forward, as school personnel are one of the only groups of professionals who, despite being mandated reporters, are not required [...]