Families and Children

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 605 to establish requirements that the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall determine for all children in the care and custody of the cabinet whether each child is receiving or eligible for earned federal benefits administered by the United States Social Security Administration or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, including survivor or dependent benefits; require the cabinet to establish a program to be called the Success Sequence Savings and Disbursement Plan; require the promulgation of administrative regulations to implement the new requirements.

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 210 to define terms; establish the Kentucky Positive Youth Development Commission; establish the positive youth development trust fund; amend KRS 200.503, 200.505, and 200.509 to require the State Interagency Council for Services and Supports to Children and Transition-Age Youth to direct regional interagency councils to coordinate with the Kentucky Positive Youth Development Commission to establish workgroups to perform community needs assessments, research opportunities for positive youth development programming, and apply for grants to fund and implement positive youth development programming; amend KRS 200.505 to add the state suicide prevention coordinator and Attorney General, or their designees, to the Interagency Council for Services and Support to Children and Transition-Age Youth.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 403 to prohibit the removal from custody or the reduction in parenting time of a party solely for improvement of relationship between the child and the other party where the court has made a finding of domestic violence or abuse; require the court to make considerations of scientific validity prior to ordering therapy for reunification; require orders remediating the resistance of a child to contact with a violent or abusive parent to primarily address the behavior of that parent; amend KRS 403.270 to require a court to consider allegations of domestic violence or abuse and make written findings on the record prior to consideration of other factors relevant to determination of custody; add malicious false allegations of child abuse as a factor to be considered in custody determinations; amend KRS 403.290 to require paid visitation supervisors and parenting coordinators in custody proceedings to receive specialized training; amend KRS 403.315 to provide for a rebuttable presumption that joint custody and shared equal parenting time are not in the best interests of the child where the court finds that a party has committed 2 or more acts of domestic violence or abuse against another party; require a parent found to have committed 2 or more acts of domestic violence or abuse against another party to undergo counseling or treatment prior to being awarded custody of a child; amend KRS 403.727 to require guardians ad litem to receive specialized training for proceedings involving petitions for orders of protection for minors; allow victim advocates to attend evidentiary hearings in orders of protection proceedings involving minors; amend KRS 456.035 to require guardians ad litem to receive specialized training for proceedings involving interpersonal orders of protection for minors; allow victim advocates to attend evidentiary hearings on interpersonal orders of protection proceedings involving minors.

HB 190 establishes minimum square footage requirements for licensed child-care centers in Kentucky, directly affecting all centers operating under state licensing. The bill requires centers to meet specific space standards per the cabinet's administrative regulations, while also mandating staff training (6 hours initial orientation and 6 hours annual training on safety, abuse reporting, and child development) and unannounced inspections. Centers facing violations must correct issues within 5 days for immediate threats or negotiated timeframes, with civil penalties considering the severity of risks and past violations. The bill also outlines processes for dispute resolution, license appeals, and public disclosure of inspection findings (excluding family information).