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Read. Follow. Verify.Kentucky HB 55 establishes parental rights regarding child care and cellular phone access
Last action · January 14, 2026: to Families & Children (H)Sponsor: Dan Fister
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What This Bill Proposed
Kentucky HB 55 establishes that parents with legal custody have the fundamental right to make decisions regarding their minor child's care, custody, control, and cellular phone access. The bill prohibits state and local governments from interfering with these rights unless the restriction is necessary to further a using the . It also allows prevailing parents in legal actions under this section to recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Parents gain explicit legal standing to challenge government actions or policies that restrict their decision-making authority over children, with the ability to sue and recover legal fees if they win.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Parents
Parents gain explicit statutory rights to make decisions concerning their children's care and cell phone access, along with the ability to challenge government restrictions in court and recover attorney's fees if successful.
State and local government agencies
Agencies are prohibited from restricting parental rights unless they meet a strict scrutiny standard of proving a compelling government interest using the least restrictive means.
Key Facts
- Grants parents with legal custody the fundamental right and duty to make decisions concerning a minor child's care, custody, control, and cellular phone access.
- Prohibits the Commonwealth or any political subdivision from restricting or interfering with these parental rights unless the restriction is necessary for a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means available.
- Applies to all existing and future laws, administrative regulations, ordinances, rules, orders, and policies of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.
- Exempts provisions related to child marriage under KRS Chapter 402 from this section.
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- Explicitly does not permit a parent to abuse or neglect a child in violation of KRS Chapter 508 or KRS 600.020.
- Allows a parent whose rights are violated to assert the violation as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding against the Commonwealth or a political subdivision.
- Entitles a parent who prevails in such a legal action to reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
- Specifies that the section does not alter the established presumption of constitutionality of laws enacted by the General Assembly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific decisions does this bill cover for parents?
Can the government still restrict parental decisions under this bill?
Does this bill allow parents to bypass child abuse or neglect laws?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
2 actions- Jan 14, 2026HouseCommitteeto Families & Children (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedintroduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
apps.legislature.ky.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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