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HB 523KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState Billdead

Did Not Advance

Kentucky bill restricts Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs care to families unable to pay

Original title: AN ACT relating to families and children.

Last action · March 13, 2026: taken from Families & Children (H) 1st reading returned to Families & Children (H)Sponsor: Samara Heavrin

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Kentucky HB 523 prohibits the from accepting children for care or treatment if their parents or legal guardians can afford to pay for it. The only exception allows admission if adequate care is unavailable locally, requiring a doctor's referral and full cost reimbursement.

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.

Directly affected

parents and legal guardians of children with disabilities

Parents must pay for treatment costs out of pocket if they are able, or fully reimburse the state if utilizing the geographic exception.

Directly affected

Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs

The office is restricted from accepting children whose families can pay, except under specific underserved geographic conditions with mandatory reimbursement.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can children from families who can afford treatment still receive care from the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs?

Only if the child resides in an area of the state where adequate care and treatment are not otherwise available, requires a doctor's referral, and the parents or guardians fully reimburse the office for all costs expended.

What happens if a family can only afford to pay a portion of the treatment costs?

The parents or guardian must pay the sum they are able to pay, and those funds are turned over to the office to be applied to the child's care and treatment.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

3 actions

Mar 13, 2026HouseCommittee
taken from Families & Children (H) 1st reading returned to Families & Children (H)
Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
to Families & Children (H)
Jan 29, 2026HouseIntroduced
introduced 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.

Connected Entities

Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

OrganizationOffice for Children with Special Health Care Needs“Office responsible for accepting children for care or treatment under KRS 200.47”Map →

OrganizationGeneral Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky“Legislative body enacting the bill”Map →

Sources

Open source document

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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