Children
For families that need the most help, child care costs are about to drop
Originally published by The 19th. For more than a decade, Erin Farias has watched the low-income families who send children to the day cares she runs navigate America’s broken child care system. Many of those parents had government assistance for school tuition, but half the time, Farias couldn’t count on them to make their co-payments. […]
Senate approves bill aimed at helping schools avoid hiring teachers with a history of abuse
FRANKFORT — A House bill aimed at helping Kentucky schools avoid hiring sexual abusers gained passage in the Senate Wednesday.? Sponsored by House Education Committee Chairman Rep. James Tipton, House Bill 275 would require those seeking employment in schools to disclose if they were the subject of an allegation, investigation or disciplinary action within the […]
Plan for a mental health juvenile detention facility advances in Kentucky legislature
FRANKFORT — A Kentucky House committee unanimously moved forward a bill that would establish a special mental health juvenile detention facility for housing “high acuity” youth, a move the sponsor called “critical.” Sponsored by Sen. Danny Carroll, a West Kentucky Republican, Senate Bill 252 can now go to the full House for consideration, having already […]
‘A shame:’ $300 million Horizons Act is ‘dead,’ sponsor says
FRANKFORT — The $300 million child care bill called the Horizons Act is “dead,” its sponsor said Wednesday.? The state budget approved by the Senate failed to allocate all the money the Horizons Act called for — and the final budget that will emerge from a House-Senate conference is also unlikely to do so. The […]
Automatic transfer of kids accused of some gun crimes to adult court has cleared both chambers
More Kentucky juveniles would be tried as adults under a bill that has now been approved by both chambers of the legislature.? ‘Victims before perpetrators:’ Senate passes bill to try certain juveniles as adults? The House on Tuesday approved Senate Bill 20 which mandates that juveniles 15 or older would be transferred to circuit court […]
Kentucky House approves freestanding birth centers bill
FRANKFORT — Freestanding birth centers could open in Kentucky under narrow guidelines if a bipartisan bill passed by Kentucky’s House Tuesday becomes law. Time is running short in this session — Tuesday was the 56th day of the 60-day legislative session — and the bill still needs to head to the Senate for committee and […]
Pastoral counselors added to school ‘guardian’ bill as it clears House committee
FRANKFORT — A bill authorizing armed “guardians” to fill vacant law enforcement positions in Kentucky schools was passed by a House committee Tuesday morning with several new additions, including one allowing pastoral counselors in schools.? Discussion among House Education Committee members largely centered on an amendment for Senate Bill 2 from Irvington Republican Rep. Josh […]
Bill giving foster parents child care benefits for remote work has passed Kentucky legislature
The House unanimously passed a Louisville Democrat’s bill aimed at enabling more Kentuckians to become foster parents. The Monday move means Senate Bill 240, sponsored by Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, is nearly law. It heads now to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk for a signature or veto.? The bill will allow foster parents in Kentucky to […]
‘Game changer’ for kinship care families sails out of Kentucky legislature
Long awaited financial help will be coming to “kinship care” Kentuckians who are raising a minor relative such as a grandchild or niece, thanks to a bill that received unanimous approval in the House Friday. Senate Bill 151 now heads to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk for a signature or veto. It passed the Senate in […]
Criminal immunity for Kentucky medical providers who make mistakes wins unanimous OK
A bill giving Kentucky’s health care providers criminal immunity for medical mistakes — which one lawmaker thinks will enshrine protections for in vitro fertilization by default — is on its way to Gov. Andy Beshear’s desk. House Bill 159, which would decriminalize medical mistakes made by health care providers, passed the House in February unanimously. […]
Kentucky’s new juvenile justice chief is veteran of managing adult corrections
A? longtime adult corrections official will head the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday.? The new commissioner, Randy White, worked in the Kentucky prison system for 27 years in multiple roles, including correctional officer, warden and most recently more than five years as deputy corrections commissioner, according to a release from […]
Bill would guarantee parents access to minors’ medical records with exceptions for abuse, neglect
FRANKFORT — Members of the Kentucky Senate Health Services committee passed — along party lines — a bill to ensure parents and guardians have access to medical records of the minors in their care unless those records are protected because of abuse or neglect.? House Bill 174 passed the House in early March. Now that […]