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SB 162 Kentucky Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to children.

Summary
Amend KRS 610.030 to provide that a diversion agreement shall require that a child refrain from conduct that constitutes cause for suspension or expulsion from school; provide that for a child against whom a complaint alleging beyond the control of the school has been filed, the diversion agreement shall require that if the child is suspended or expelled during the diversion, the child will immediately be considered to have failed diversion and be referred to the county attorney for formal court action; repeal KRS 635.020 regarding the creation of the family accountability, intervention, and response teams; amend various sections to conform.
Issues: ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill mandates court referral for school suspensions during diversion, increasing criminal justice system involvement for minor offenses, opposing reform efforts.85% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 4, 2026 Last action Feb 25, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Current/Final · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill updates the definition of 'State agency children' to explicitly include those in home and community-based services for the intellectually disabled, while clarifying that therapeutic foster care excludes nontherapeutic placements. It also refines the definition of 'Current costs and expenses' to specify that funding must cover a 230-day school year, smaller class sizes, and intensive programming.
Scope change
The scope of children covered by specific state agency definitions was expanded to include a new category of intellectually disabled children receiving home and community-based services.
DEFINITION

The definition of 'State agency children' was updated to add children in home and community-based services for the intellectually disabled as a covered group.

The definition of 'Therapeutic foster care' was clarified to explicitly exclude nontherapeutic foster care placements.

The definition of 'Current costs and expenses' was refined to specify that expenditures must support a 230-day school year, reduced teacher-pupil ratios, and intensive educational programming.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 24, 2026

How they voted

35–8
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 44
Feb 24, 2026
D Democratic6
6 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican38
35 Yea 2 Nay 1
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
2
Committee
4
Feb 25, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed 30-7 with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
to Judiciary (S)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Introduced
introduced in Senate
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.