Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB4: AN ACT relating to grooming a minor.
Status: Signed into law, April 10, 2026
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 510 to establish the offense of grooming a minor; amend KRS 510.010 to define "course of conduct," "grooming behavior," and "sexual conduct"; amend various sections to conform; make technical corrections.
What the bill says
An act relating to grooming a minor.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to grooming a minor. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 510 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: (1) A person is guilty of grooming a minor when: (a) Being eighteen (18) years of age or older, he or she engages in grooming behavior directed at a minor who is under fourteen (14) years old with the intent to entice, coerce, solicit, or induce the minor to engage in sexual conduct with the person or another person; or (b) Being a person in a position of authority or position of special trust, as those terms are defined in KRS 532.045, he or she engages in grooming behavior directed at a minor who is under eighteen (18) years old with the intent to: 1. Entice, coerce, solicit, or induce the minor to engage in sexual conduct with the person or another person; or 2. Develop an intimate or secretive relationship with the minor. (2) (a) For a violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section, grooming a minor is a Class A misdemeanor unless the minor is under twelve (12) years old, in which case it is a Class D felony. (b) For a violation of subsection (1)(b) of this section, grooming a minor is a …
Sponsors
- Marianne Proctor (R, HD-060) · primary sponsor
- Kimberly Banta (R, HD-063)
- Shane Baker (R, HD-085)
- Ryan Bivens (R, HD-024)
- Steve Bratcher (R, HD-025)
- George Brown (D, HD-077)
- Josh Calloway (R, HD-010)
- Beverly Chester-Burton (D, HD-044)
- Jennifer Decker (R, HD-058)
- Steven Doan (R, HD-069)
- Ryan Dotson (R, HD-073)
- Daniel Elliott (R, HD-054)
Latest actions
- : signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 65)
- : delivered to Governor
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : passed 92-0
- : House concurred in Committee Substitute (1)
- : posted for passage for concurrence in Senate
- : to Rules (H)
- : received in House
- : 3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
Votes
- House: Final Passage RCS# 359 (March 31, 2026): 92 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate: PASS HB 4 w/ SCS 1 (SCS 1) RSN# 4022 (March 26, 2026): 38 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 52 (February 4, 2026): 98 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Criminal Procedure, Crimes And Punishments, Children And Minors, Local Mandate, Corrections Impact
Common questions
- What is HB4?
- HB4 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to grooming a minor.
- What does HB4 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to grooming a minor.
- What is the status of HB4?
- Signed into law as of April 10, 2026. Latest action: signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 65) (April 10, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB4?
- Marianne Proctor (R, HD-060), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB4?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb4.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.