SB 125 Kentucky Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to juvenile justice.

Summary
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 200 to define terms; establish procedures for a child charged with a public offense to determine if the child is a high acuity youth; establish procedures for securing a treatment plan and dispute resolution through a review process and the court if the parties cannot agree to a plan; require a 24-hour protocol for health facilities, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the courts to direct care; establish reimbursement rates for inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care of a child by psychiatric hospitals and pediatric teaching hospitals; establish procedures for discharge and transfer of the child from an inpatient admission under specific circumstances; amend KRS 15A.305 to include a mental health facility operated by the Department of Juvenile Justice as an identified facility for the detention and treatment of children; direct the operation of 2 female-only facilities with authority to increase as population increases; direct reimbursement rates for local governments lodging juveniles to be set by administrative regulation; amend KRS 600.020 to remove and add defined terms; amend KRS 610.265 to remove beginning date that is past; amend KRS 610.340 to enable release of information in specific circumstances; amend various sections of KRS to conform; authorize the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet to construct a high acuity youth mental health facility, subject to funding; direct the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to provide clinical services; direct the Department of Juvenile Justice to continue to implement the plan to return to a regional model of detention.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 27, 2026 Last action Apr 1, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Current/Final · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was renumbered from a House bill to a Senate bill and updated with new tracking numbers. Substantively, the text includes new definitions for 'high acuity youth' and establishes a mandatory process requiring clinical assessments and inter-agency agreements before a child can be admitted to an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
Scope change
The bill applies to children charged with offenses or subject to court orders who require inpatient psychiatric treatment, specifically adding protections for those deemed 'high acuity youth'.
TECHNICAL

The bill number changed from '26 RS BR 1631' to '26 RS SB 125/GA', indicating it moved from the House to the Senate.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for 'high acuity youth' (children needing specialized treatment for aggression or violence) and 'behavioral assessment'.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement mandates that all children admitted to inpatient psychiatric care must undergo a behavioral assessment by a clinical professional before admission.

If a child is identified as a 'high acuity youth', the clinical professional must contact representatives from the Department of Behavioral Health, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the Department of Juvenile Justice to agree on an immediate treatment plan.

The court cannot order a high acuity youth to an inpatient psychiatric hospital without the agreement of the hospital, the Department of Behavioral Health, and the Department of Juvenile Justice, unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the facility can treat the child safely.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 2, 2026

How they voted

420
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 44
Mar 2, 2026
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican38
36 Yea 2
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
5
Committee
8
Mar 16, 2026
Committee
to Judiciary (H)
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
passed 36-0 with Committee Substitute (2)
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
committee substitute (1) reconsidered
upper
Mar 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
passed 37-0 with Committee Substitutes (1) and (2)
upper
Feb 25, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitutes (1) and (2)
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Committee
recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (S)
upper
Feb 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
to Judiciary (S)
upper
Jan 27, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Jan 27, 2026
Introduced
introduced in Senate
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.