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SB 17KENTUCKYSession 2026RSState BillSigned into law
Enacted

Kentucky updates child welfare laws governing citizen foster care review boards, CASA programs, and child fatality reviews

Original title: AN ACT relating to the protection of children.

Last action · April 8, 2026: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53)Sponsors: Brandon Storm and 2 others

Companion · HB 914same policy, House version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

Kentucky revises state statutes regarding child protection systems, adjusting membership requirements for s and local (CASA) program boards, and updating the composition and duties of the external child fatality and near fatality review panel.

Why it matters

Modifies governance, professional representation, and administrative oversight rules for state child welfare review bodies and local CASA organizations, directly affecting judges, child welfare workers, foster parents, and volunteers involved in dependency, abuse, and neglect proceedings.

Background
  • Senate Bill 17 was enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly during the 2026 regular session and signed into law by the Governor on April 8, 2026. context
  • KRS Chapter 620 governs judicial and administrative procedures related to dependency, abuse, neglect, and child protection services in Kentucky. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Citizen foster care review boards

Board membership criteria, certification processes, and member restrictions are modified.

Directly affected

Court-Appointed Special Advocate programs

Governing board size minimums, supervisory ratios, and administrative standards are adjusted.

Directly affected

Department for Community Based Services

Agency employees are explicitly barred from serving on local citizen foster care review boards or CASA programs.

Directly affected

External child fatality and near fatality review panel

Panel composition, reporting deadlines, record confidentiality rules, and member obligations are updated.

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

Who is prohibited from serving on local citizen foster care review boards?
Employees of the Department for Community Based Services are prohibited from serving on local s.
What is the minimum number of board members required for a local CASA program?
Each local CASA board must include at least twelve members.
What is the supervisory staff ratio required for local CASA programs?
Local CASA programs must ensure adequate supervision by providing at least one supervisory staff person for every thirty court-appointed and assigned CASA volunteers.
When must the external child fatality and near fatality review panel publish its annual report?
The panel must publish an annual report by February 1 of each year.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

14 actions
  1. Apr 8, 2026SenateEnrolled
    signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53)
  2. Mar 27, 2026HouseEnrolled
    received in Senate enrolled, signed by President of the Senate enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House delivered to Governor
  3. Mar 26, 2026SenateFloor
    3rd reading, passed 92-0
  4. Mar 25, 2026Senate
    floor amendment (1) filed
  5. Mar 20, 2026Senate
    posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 24 2026
  6. Mar 19, 2026SenateFloor
    2nd reading, to Rules
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. Mar 18, 2026Senate
    reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
  2. Mar 16, 2026HouseCommittee
    to Judiciary (H)
  3. Jan 28, 2026HouseIntroduced
    received in House to Committee on Committees (H)
  4. Jan 27, 2026SenateFloor
    3rd reading, passed with 33-0 Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
  5. Jan 23, 2026SenateFloor
    2nd reading, to Rules posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Monday, January 26, 2026
  6. Jan 22, 2026Senate
    reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
  7. Jan 20, 2026SenateCommittee
    to Judiciary (S)
  8. Jan 6, 2026SenateIntroduced
    introduced in Senate to Committee on Committees (S)

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

Brandon StormSenate · District 21RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Matt DeneenSenate · District 10RepublicanCosponsor
Gerald NealSenate · District 33DemocraticCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Administrative Restructuring of Child Protection Oversight

The legislation refines organizational structures, membership guidelines, and information-handling protocols across multiple child protection review entities in Kentucky.

Department for Community Based ServicesKentucky CASA Network

Connected Entities

Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Inc., Brandon Storm and 10 more
OrganizationJustice and Public Safety Cabinet“Cabinet to which the external child fatality review panel is attached”Map →
OrganizationPrevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Inc.“Organization providing a representative to the review panel”Map →
PersonBrandon Storm“Primary sponsor of Senate Bill 17”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Enacting legislative body of the Commonwealth of Kentucky”Map →
PersonMatt Deneen“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 17”Map →
OrganizationKentucky Domestic Violence Association“Association providing executive director representation”Map →
OrganizationCabinet for Health and Family Services“State cabinet responsible for child welfare records and services”Map →
OrganizationUniversity of Kentucky“Source of pediatric forensic medicine representation on the review panel”Map →
OrganizationUniversity of Louisville“Source of pediatric forensic medicine representation on the review panel”Map →
OrganizationKentucky CASA Network“State court-appointed special advocate association”Map →
OrganizationDepartment for Community Based Services“State agency whose employees are restricted from serving on local foster care re”Map →
OrganizationKentucky Coroners Association“Association providing presidential representation on the review panel”Map →
PersonGerald Neal“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 17”Map →

Sources

Open source document

apps.legislature.ky.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance65
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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