Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB6: AN ACT relating to child care and declaring an emergency.
Status: Chaptered, April 14, 2026
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 199 related to the quality-based graduated early care and education rating system program to establish the intent of the General Assembly related to the program; establish processes and procedures for how the program is changed by administrative regulation; require a program modernization plan and final recommendations for modernization to be created and submitted to the Legislative Research Commission; amend KRS 199.891 to define terms; create new requirements for how the Cabinet for Health and Family Services establishes and operates the Certified Child Care Community Designation Program; delete language related to a previous 1 time requirement for the cabinet to submit recommendations and best practices to the Legislative Research Commission; establish a new January 1, 2028 submission deadline for the cabinet to make publicly available a standardized application for certification and instructions for the program; establish new requirements for applications by local governments to participate in the program; require an annual report by the Cabinet for Economic Development regarding the program; amend KRS 199.8983 to increase the membership of the Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council; establish that the council shall additionally advise the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on the operations, funding, and licensing of child-care microcenters; create new sections of KRS Chapter 199 to define terms; establish licensure for child-care microcenters; establish the Kentucky Child-Care Microcenter Program to regulate the standards and operations of child-care microcenters; establish early care and education training requirements for licensed child-care providers and certified family child-care home providers; establish that the Education and Labor Cabinet shall compile, produce, and make publicly available a monthly report providing a comprehensive snapshot of all licensed and certified child care services, Head Start services, ch
What the bill says
An act relating to child care.
From the committee substitute text:
AN ACT relating to child care. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 199 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS: (1) As used in this section, "program" means the quality-based graduated early care and education program rating system established under KRS 199.8943. (2) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the program shall meaningfully and effectively support voluntary participation by licensed and certified child-care providers in building and maintaining high-quality early learning services for children across the Commonwealth. To that end, the General Assembly intends for the program (b) Include long-term strategies for empirically assessing and validating the efficacy of the program and routinely studying it to ensure continuous improvement; (c) Be predicated upon proven methods and standards that reflect the consensus of the highest-quality academic research on early childhood development; (d) Align with state licensing and certification requirements and avoid duplication between those requirements and the program to the greatest extent possible; (e) Offer effective financial incentives to encourage and enable providers to participate in the program and to strive for the highest possible rating under the program; (f) Offer accessible and high-impact training opportunities for child-care providers and their staff to ensure that they are able to successfully participate in the program and …
Sponsors
- Samara Heavrin (R, HD-018) · primary sponsor
- Robert Duvall (R, HD-017)
- Ryan Bivens (R, HD-024)
- Josh Branscum (R, HD-083)
- Steve Bratcher (R, HD-025)
- George Brown (D, HD-077)
- Beverly Chester-Burton (D, HD-044)
- Mike Clines (R, HD-068)
- Stephanie Dietz (R, HD-065)
- Daniel Grossberg (D, HD-030)
- Vanessa Grossl (R, HD-088)
- Tony Hampton (R, HD-062)
Latest actions
- : became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 146)
- : delivered to Governor
- : enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
- : enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
- : passed 83-10
- : House concurred in Floor Amendments (1) and (2)
- : posted for passage for concurrence in Senate floor amendments (1) and (2)
- : to Rules (H)
- : received in House
- : 3rd reading, passed 36-1 with Floor Amendments (1) and (2)
Votes
- Senate: PASS HB 6 w/ SFA 2, SFA 1 (SFA 2) RSN# 4086 (March 31, 2026): 36 yea, 1 nay, passed
- House: Final Passage RCS# 394 (March 31, 2026): 83 yea, 10 nay, passed
- House: Pass RCS# 98 (February 17, 2026): 84 yea, 11 nay, passed
Subjects: State Agencies, Reports Mandated, Children And Minors, Economic Development, Witnesses, Local Government, Business Entities And Organizations
Common questions
- What is HB6?
- HB6 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to child care and declaring an emergency.
- What does HB6 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to child care.
- What is the status of HB6?
- Chaptered as of April 14, 2026. Latest action: became law without Governor's Signature (Acts Ch. 146) (April 14, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB6?
- Samara Heavrin (R, HD-018), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB6?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb6.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.