# Kentucky SB 17: AN ACT relating to the protection of children. Kentucky SB 17, AN ACT relating to the protection of children., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Brandon J. Storm (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53)) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB17-2026RS - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Kentucky SB 17 - State: Kentucky - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT relating to the protection of children. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-06 - Last action: 2026-04-08, signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53) - Sponsor: Brandon J. Storm (Republican) - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Boards And Commissions, State Agencies, Children And Minors, Courts - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 1 (92 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Clearer rules for CASA boards: benefit, low. Local CASA boards must have at least 12 members. They set key policies, meet at least four times a year, and file an annual report with program and funding details. Local programs must follow Kentucky CASA Network Standards, and the state network is called the Kentucky CASA Network. If the state em… - Faster records access for review panel: benefit, low. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services must give the panel unredacted records within 30 days of a request. Records include medical, law enforcement, court, education, and other listed files. The panel is attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for staffing and administrative support. - Local foster boards: members and terms: benefit, low. Local citizen foster care review boards must include, when practicable, at least two members from law, medicine, psychology, social work, or education. DCBS employees may not serve on these boards. Members must be certified before appointment by completing state‑approved training. Terms are three y… - More transparency in child death reviews: benefit, low. After each meeting, the panel posts updates on case reviews, findings, and recommendations on the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet website. The chair, or others if asked, reports to the legislature each month. By February 1 each year, the panel publishes an annual report and shares it with state l… - Stronger rules for CASA volunteers: benefit, low. Judges appoint CASA volunteers only after the program director confirms screening and training. CASA volunteers, directors, and staff must take an oath to keep case details confidential, with limited sharing allowed by law. Local programs must provide at least one supervisor for every 30 appointed… - Strict privacy rules for case reviews: mixed, low. The panel may close part of a meeting to review an individual case after an open session, and must then reopen to give a public summary. Panel meetings, records, and deliberations are confidential and cannot be used in court to identify people or cases; members and presenters may not release nonpub… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Brandon J. Storm (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Gerald A. Neal (Democrat), Senate - Cosponsor: Matthew Deneen (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-26 | House | 3rd reading, passed | pass | 92 | 0 | | ## Actions (20) - 2026-04-08: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53) - 2026-03-27: delivered to Governor - 2026-03-27: enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House (Senate) - 2026-03-27: enrolled, signed by President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-27: received in Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-26: 3rd reading, passed 92-0 (House) - 2026-03-25: floor amendment (1) filed (House) - 2026-03-20: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026 (House) - 2026-03-19: 2nd reading, to Rules (House) - 2026-03-18: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar (House) - 2026-03-16: to Judiciary (H) (House) - 2026-01-28: to Committee on Committees (H) (House) - 2026-01-28: received in House (House) - 2026-01-27: 3rd reading, passed with 33-0 Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2026-01-23: posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, January 26, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-01-23: 2nd reading, to Rules (Senate) - 2026-01-22: reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title) (Senate) - 2026-01-20: to Judiciary (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-06: to Committee on Committees (S) (Senate) - 2026-01-06: introduced in Senate (Senate) ## Bill text - Current, 2026-01-27: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb17/bill.pdf) - Introduced, 2026-01-05: [PDF](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb17/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agencies and institutions, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergen… (became law) - SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities. (signed) - HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency. (signed) - SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle. (signed) - HB 826: AN ACT relating to education. (signed) - HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency. (signed) ## Sources - [Current (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb17/bill.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb17/orig_bill.pdf) ## Related - [SB 197: AN ACT providing funding and establishing conditions for state government agenc…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB197-2026RS) - [SB 133: AN ACT relating to the fiscal reporting of local entities.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB133-2026RS) - [HB 869: AN ACT relating to fiscal matters and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB869-2026RS) - [SB 66: AN ACT relating to the operation of a motor vehicle.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB66-2026RS) - [HB 826: AN ACT relating to education.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB826-2026RS) - [HB 727: AN ACT relating to education and declaring an emergency.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-HB727-2026RS) - [Kentucky bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky/bills) - [Kentucky state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/kentucky) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/KY-SB17-2026RS (as of 2026-11-01).