KentuckyHB 7782026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

AN ACT relating to child welfare.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

21 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 1 costs, 10 mixed.

Faster, closer, family-like foster placements

The department sets a statewide process to speed placement for children in its custody, using state and regional coordinators. Children must be placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting that fits their needs. The department must pick the best option closest to the child’s home county and consider the current school or early education to protect stability. If the right placement is not in the home county, the search goes to nearby counties, then region, then statewide, and then out of state if needed. The department must also keep a plan to recruit and retain foster homes that match children’s needs. By December 1, 2026, and each year through December 1, 2029, courts and the cabinet must report foster-care and termination timelines to lawmakers.

Stronger rules on controlled drug prescribing

The law sets statewide standards for prescribing and dispensing controlled drugs. For acute pain, doctors cannot prescribe more than a 3‑day supply of Schedule II drugs unless they document medical need and no safer options. Practitioners cannot dispense more than a 48‑hour supply of Schedule II or hydrocodone‑containing Schedule III drugs unless in a licensed narcotic treatment program. Boards must start investigating complaints within 7 days and decide on charges within 120 days, unless police ask for more time. Boards can quickly suspend or limit a license to protect patients. Anyone convicted after July 20, 2012 of a felony drug offense is permanently barred from prescribing or dispensing; misdemeanor drug convictions trigger board restrictions.

More continuing education for physician assistants

Physician assistants must complete 100 hours of approved continuing education every two years. New PAs must take 1.5 hours on pediatric abusive head trauma in their first two years or before first renewal; relevant graduate coursework can count. All PAs must complete a one‑time, 1‑hour dementia course. PAs who prescribe Schedule III–V drugs must complete at least 7.5 hours on controlled‑substance topics every two years. All PAs must also take 1 hour on preventing pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled drugs at least once every three years.

Safer caregiver approvals and training rules

Applicants for foster, adoptive, relative, or fictive kin care must pass criminal background checks, and adult household members are checked too. The Cabinet may charge a fee equal to its processing cost if conviction records are requested instead of fingerprint checks. Each year, the Cabinet may recheck adult household members or enroll them in a rap‑back system for alerts. The Cabinet cannot deny a caregiver only because of a disability and must consider adaptive supports. Registrants under KRS 17.500, or homes with a registrant adult or a minor declared a juvenile sex offender, cannot be approved. If a child stays with fictive kin more than 72 hours, the Cabinet gives abuse‑reporting info; if under age five, the caregiver must complete a one‑time 1.5‑hour abusive head trauma training within five days.

Support for substance‑exposed newborns and families

Hospitals and birth centers must notify child services when a newborn is suspected to be exposed to alcohol, illegal drugs, or misused prescriptions. The Department for Community Based Services must assess the baby and any other children, complete a Plan of Safe Care, and document safety before closing the case. Notices are for safety and services, not criminal prosecution, and do not require an abuse or neglect allegation. The department can require participation when needed to keep the child safe, but being in a Plan of Safe Care alone is not proof of abuse or neglect. The department may use public or private providers for services and must report data by December 1, 2026 and every year after.

Stronger rules for boarding homes and meds

Boarding homes cannot handle, store, or give residents’ medicines. If a resident asks, the home must provide a lockable space for prescription drugs. The Cabinet can deny or revoke registration for noncompliance, abuse-related convictions, or failure to fix violations. Hiding a past denial or penalty on an application brings a $1,000 to $5,000 fine per application and immediate revocation. People penalized or revoked cannot register a home for five years. The Cabinet may inspect suspected unregistered sites anytime and can summarily suspend operations that risk residents’ health. Local governments may set stricter rules than the state.

Stronger response to child drug exposure

Abuse or neglect now includes physical harm from a child ingesting or inhaling a controlled substance. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet must train peace officers on pediatric drug ingestion at least once every three years. Starting December 1, 2026, police departments must have written procedures for these cases. When a child needs medical care after suspected exposure, officers must seek a warrant to test the supervising person, and tests must include drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine, buprenorphine, marijuana, xylazine, and others.

Clear rights before juvenile intake talks

Before a preliminary intake inquiry on a juvenile complaint, the court worker must write to the child and parent or guardian. The notice explains the right to attend and to have a lawyer at the inquiry and any later conference. It explains that a child’s statements before a petition are confidential and not subject to subpoena without the child’s written consent. It also explains that information can be shared with treatment providers and that the child can deny the allegation and ask for a formal hearing.

Support for foster youth up to 21

A youth may ask the court to extend or reinstate commitment up to age 21 to get transitional living support. The youth must ask before turning 20 years and 6 months. Up to three extensions or reinstatements before that age do not need commissioner approval; more may need it. The Cabinet must give at least six months of transition planning before the youth turns 18. The court may grant an extension even if cabinet agreement comes after age 20 years and 6 months.

Lighter rules for short preschool and after‑school

Preschool programs that run 20 hours or less per week and have each child attend 15 hours or less must notify the Cabinet, do background checks, and get TB screening; they are exempt from other licensing rules. Programs where each child attends 10 hours or less per week are fully exempt from licensing. After‑school skill programs can be exempt if they run outside school hours, teach a specific skill, tell parents they are not licensed and list physical risks, do required background checks, and do not advertise as licensed child care.

State limits local child-care licensing rules

Local governments cannot add extra certification, licensing, or training rules that only apply to family child‑care homes. General local rules still apply. Land‑use rules must name family child‑care homes to allow conditional use when the use is not fully permitted.

External panel reviews child deaths

The state creates an external panel to review child deaths and near‑deaths suspected from abuse or neglect. Agencies must give the panel unredacted case records within 30 days of a request. The panel posts meeting updates, reports to lawmakers, and publishes an annual report by February 1. Agencies that get recommendations have 90 days to send an action plan or explain why they decline. Copies given to the panel stay confidential and must be destroyed when the review ends; original records remain with the agencies and under open‑records rules.

Faster alerts on drug-prescribing crimes

Agencies may share reports of improper prescribing or dispensing with other reporting agencies within three business days, as allowed by law. A county attorney or Commonwealth’s attorney must notify the Attorney General and the right licensing board within three business days when a licensed person is publicly charged with a felony tied to controlled substances. The law defines which agencies and licensing boards count as reporting agencies.

Tougher penalties for violent and child crimes

A violent offender with a life sentence cannot get probation or parole until serving at least 20 years. Violent offenders with a term of years cannot get early release until serving at least 85% of the sentence, and sentence credit is limited to the narrow credit allowed in law. First‑degree manslaughter now covers deaths from intentional abuse or neglect of children age 12 or under or physically or mentally helpless people, and it covers deaths caused by knowingly selling fentanyl that the buyer uses. Child‑abuse statutes now protect children under age 13, with higher penalties tied to that age.

Guidance to train child‑protection staff

The law encourages the Cabinet to include training on pediatric abusive head trauma and child ingestion or inhalation of drugs in DCBS front‑line staff training. This is guidance, not a mandate. It aims to help workers spot and prevent harm to children.

EMS workers get new safety training

EMTs, AEMTs, EMRs, and paramedics must take 1 hour on pediatric abusive head trauma at least once every two years. They must also take 1 hour on pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances once every three years. At least once every two‑year renewal cycle, they must take 1 hour on sexual violence awareness, including reporting and care options and how to access SANE‑ready resources. These hours count toward existing CE.

New training and possible fees for nurses

Kentucky nurses must take a one‑time, 1.5‑hour course on pediatric abusive head trauma. They must also take 1 hour on pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances once every three years, and a one‑time, 1‑hour course on Alzheimer’s and other dementias. APRNs must complete at least 5 contact hours in pharmacology each licensure period. The Nursing Board can charge reasonable fees by regulation to run these competency rules. All required hours count toward existing CE totals.

Safety training for social workers

If the board requires continuing education, licensed and clinical social workers must take 1.5 hours on pediatric abusive head trauma at least once every six years. They must also take 1 hour on pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances once every three years. These hours count within existing CE requirements.

Urgent care must offer pediatric safety courses

Urgent treatment and urgent care centers must offer at least one course on pediatric abusive head trauma every two years. They must also offer one hour of training on pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances one time every three years. The trauma course can be developed with groups approved by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

New registration and standards for boarding homes

Boarding homes must register each year before advertising or operating and pay a fee up to $100. People with certain abuse or neglect convictions, or a cabinet‑substantiated abuse report, cannot register or operate a boarding home. The secretary will set minimum standards for rooms, safety, sanitation, food handling, and resident screening. The cabinet must order an unannounced inspection before initial or annual registration to check compliance with state and local codes.

New training and certification for child‑care staff

Child‑care center staff must finish at least 6 hours of orientation within 3 months, then 6 hours of child development training each year. They must also take a 1.5‑hour abusive head trauma course every 5 years and a 1‑hour pediatric ingestion course every 3 years. Family child‑care applicants (caring for 4–6 unrelated children, or 3 or fewer if they choose) must submit references, a doctor’s good‑health statement, criminal and TB checks, and complete 6 hours of training within 3 months. Certified family child‑care providers must complete 6 hours of training each year, plus the same pediatric courses on the stated schedules.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Nick Wilson
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Daniel Grossberg
Democrat • House
David Meade
Republican • House
Kim Holloway
Republican • House
Samara Heavrin
Republican • House
Sarah Stalker
Democrat • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 220 • No: 0

House vote • 3/31/2026

passed

Yes: 88 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/31/2026

3rd reading, passed

Yes: 38 • No: 0

House vote • 3/18/2026