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SB 17 Kentucky Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to the protection of children.

Summary
Amend KRS 620.500 to add the Kentucky CASA Network to the definition of "association"; amend KRS 620.505 to decrease the minimum number of local CASA board members from 15 to 12; remove the provision that local CASA programs are required to comply with National CASA Association Standards for programs make technical corrections; remove "cabinet" and replace with "the Department for Community Based Services" relating to employees who are prohibited from becoming volunteers or employees of the court-appointed special advocate program; amend KRS 620.537 to make technical corrections; amend KRS 620.055 to conform.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 6, 2026 Signed Apr 8, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Current/Final · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was fundamentally rewritten to shift focus from CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers to a new 'citizen foster care review board' system. This change replaces the existing CASA program definitions with new requirements for local boards composed of specific professionals like lawyers, doctors, and social workers, while explicitly banning Department for Community Based Services employees from serving on these boards.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from regulating the CASA volunteer program to establishing a new oversight structure for foster care reviews within each judicial district.
DEFINITION

Replaced definitions of 'Association', 'Court', and 'CASA program' with new definitions for 'citizen foster care review board' and its composition.

Revised the definition of the 'external child fatality review panel' to include a new member representing the citizen foster care review board.

REQUIREMENT

Added specific requirements that board members must have backgrounds in law, medicine, psychology, social work, or education, and that at least one member must be a foster parent.

Added a prohibition preventing employees of the Department for Community Based Services from serving on the new review boards.

Changed board member terms from indefinite or unspecified to a fixed three-year term expiring on August 1, with provisions for reappointment.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 27, 2026

How they voted

38–0
Passed · 6 other
Total votes 44
Jan 27, 2026
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican38
32 Yea 6
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
7
Committee
6
Amendments
1
Apr 8, 2026
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 53)
upper
Mar 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Mar 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed 92-0
upper
Mar 25, 2026
Introduced
floor amendment (1) filed
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
upper
Mar 16, 2026
Committee
to Judiciary (H)
lower
Jan 28, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed with 33-0 Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
upper
Jan 22, 2026
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Committee
to Judiciary (S)
upper
Jan 6, 2026
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Jan 6, 2026
Introduced
introduced in Senate
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.