Kentucky bills · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB 778
AN ACT relating to child welfare.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
No sponsor recorded.
Summary
Official abstract published by the Kentucky legislature· Summary of Original Version
Amend KRS 199.462 to prohibit an individual from being approved to provide foster care or relative caregiver services to a child, be considered a fictive kin placement for a child, or to receive a child for adoption if the individual or an adult or minor child living in the individual's is on the adult or juvenile sex offender registry; amend KRS 199.801 related to placement requirements for children in the custody of the state; amend KRS 600.020 to update definitions for "diversion agreement," "eligible youth," and "informal adjustment"; amend KRS 610.030 to establish which individuals shall have access to diversion agreements related to juvenile court cases; amend KRS 610.345 to expand the list of individuals that a judge shall notify when a child is adjudicated guilty of an offense which classifies him or her as a youthful offender to include school superintendents, school directors of pupil personnel, and school resource officers; amend KRS 620.050 to expand the list of individuals or entities that can have access to a report of suspected child abuse, neglect, or dependency; remove certain individuals and entities that could have access to files, reports, notes, photographs, records, electronic and other communications, and working papers used or developed by a children's advocacy center related to child welfare investigations; to allow medical professionals to administer comprehensive urine drug screens on children when they suspect abuse or neglect; allow external child fatality and near fatality review panel to access additional data; amend KRS 620.055 to allow the child fatality and near fatality review panel to compel the attendance of members from an investigating agency to discuss cases in closed session; amend KRS 620.140 to expand the ability for a dependent, neglected, or abused youth to request to have his or her commitment extended or reinstated beyond the age of 18 up to the age of 21; create a new section of KRS Chapter 211 to define and establish requirements for "plan of safe care" and "plan of care safety assessment review" related to substance-exposed infants; create a new section of KRS Chapter 625 related to reporting of involuntarty termination of parental rights; amend KRS 508.090 to define "controlled substance" and "abuse or neglect"; amend KRS 508.100 and 508.110 to conform; amend KRS 508.120 to enhance the penalty of abuse in the third degree if the victim is under 13 years old and suffered serious physical injury as a result of ingesting or inhaling a controlled substance; amend KRS 15.440 to require law enforcement agencies to possess a policies and procedures manual related to pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances; amend various sections to require continuing education on pediatric ingestion or inhalation of controlled substances for certain professionals.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2026 House | Final Passage | pass | Set your home in Kentucky to see |
| Mar 31, 2026 House | CONSENT PASSAGE OF HB 778 w/ SCS 1 | pass | Set your home in Kentucky to see |
| Mar 18, 2026 House | Pass | pass | Set your home in Kentucky to see |
Actions
- Apr 10, 2026 · House
signed by Governor (Acts Ch.68) - Apr 1, 2026 · House
delivered to Governor - Apr 1, 2026 · Senate
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate - Apr 1, 2026 · House
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House - Mar 31, 2026 · House
passed 88-0 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
House concurred in Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 31, 2026 · House
posted for passage for concurrence in Senate Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 31, 2026 · House
to Rules (H) - Mar 31, 2026 · House
received in House - Mar 31, 2026 · House
3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 26, 2026 · House
posted for passage in the Consent Orders of the Day for Friday, March 27 2026 - Mar 25, 2026 · House
2nd reading, to Rules as a consent bill - Mar 24, 2026 · House
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Consent Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 20, 2026 · Senate
to Families & Children (S) - Mar 19, 2026 · Senate
to Committee on Committees (S) - Mar 19, 2026 · Senate
received in Senate - Mar 18, 2026 · House
3rd reading, passed 94-0 with Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 17, 2026 · House
floor amendment (2) filed to Committee Substitute - Mar 16, 2026 · House
posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 17 2026 - Mar 13, 2026 · House
floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute - Mar 13, 2026 · House
2nd reading, to Rules - Mar 12, 2026 · House
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) - Mar 4, 2026 · House
to Families & Children (H) - Feb 27, 2026 · House
to Committee on Committees (H) - Feb 27, 2026 · House
introduced in House