SB 17 — AN ACT relating to the protection of children.

UNOFFICIALCHAPTER COPY53 261 RSCHAPTER 53 ( SB 17/GA17 ) AN ACT relating to the protection of children.

The term of each member shall expire on August 1 of the appropriate Page 1 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA year.

Legislative Research Commission PDF Version ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (2) "Court" means family court or, if there is no family court in the county where the CASA program is located, then District Court;

(4) "Court-appointed special advocate program" and "CASA program" mean a program Page 2 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA by which trained community volunteers are provided to the court for appointment to represent the best interests of children who have come into the court system as a result of dependency, abuse, or neglect;

Page 3 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA (b) The commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, who shall be an ex officio nonvoting member;

PageCHAPTER 453 of3 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA (k) A practicing local prosecutor to be selected by the Attorney General;

Initial terms of Page 5 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA members, other than those serving ex officio, shall be staggered to provide continuity.

(6) Each panel member shall be provided copies of all information set out in this Page 6 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA subsection, including but not limited to records and information, upon request, to be gathered, unredacted, and submitted to the panel within thirty (30) days by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services from the Department for Community Based Services or any agency, organization, or entity involved with a child subject to a fatality or near fatality:

Legislative Research Commission PDF Version ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1.

Page 7 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA 1.

(j) Records of any Family, Circuit, or District Court involvement with the deceased or injured child and his or her caregivers, residents of the home and persons involved with the child at the time of the incident that include but are Page 8 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA not limited to the juvenile and family court records and orders set out in this paragraph, pursuant to KRS Chapters 199, 403, 405, 406, and 600 to 645:

Court reports by the Department for Community Based Services, guardian ad litem, court-appointedcourt- appointed special advocate, and the Citizen Foster Care Review Board;

CHAPTER 53 5 (l) All information on prior allegations of abuse or neglect and deaths of children of adults residing in the household;

(9) The panel chairperson, or other requested persons, shall report a summary of the panel's discussions and proposed or actual recommendations to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children of the Kentucky General Assembly monthly Page 9 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA or at the request of a committee co-chair.

(11) (a) Information and record copies that are confidential under state or federal law and are provided to the external child fatality and near fatality review panel by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the Department for Community Based Services, or any agency, organization, or entity for review shall not Page 10 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA become the information and records of the panel and shall not lose their confidentiality by virtue of the panel's access to the information and records.

Legislative Research Commission PDF Version ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (13) Each member of the external child fatality and near fatality review panel, any person attending a closed panel session, and any person presenting information or records on an individual child fatality or near fatality shall not release information or records not available under the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to 61.884, to the public.

Page 11 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA (14) A member of the external child fatality and near fatality review panel shall not be prohibited from making a good-faith[good faith] report to any state or federal agency of any information or issue that the panel member believes should be reported or disclosed[ in an effort] to facilitate effectiveness and transparency in Kentucky's child protective services.

Page 12 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA (2) Local CASA programs shall be governed by a local board of directors.

Each board member shall have a demonstrated interest in child welfare issues and commitment to the purpose and role of the court-court-appointed appointed special advocate volunteers.

(h) Submit an annual report to the association in the uniform manner required Page 13 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA which shall include, but need not be limited to, the following information:

CHAPTER 53 7 1.

(4) CASA volunteers shall, as far as practicable, be representative of the Page 14 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic composition of the area served.

or (b) Baccalaureate degree in social work, sociology, psychology, guidance and Page 15 of 16 SB001710.100 - 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS SB 17/GA counseling, education, criminal justice, or other human service field with, in addition to the work experience required in this subsection, at least two (2) more years of experience working in the human services field.

Legislative Research Commission PDF Version ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY (2) The duties of the state director shall be:

PageSigned 16by ofGovernor 16April SB001710.1008, -2026. 1205 - XXXX 1/27/2026 4:22 PM GA