Kentucky legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Kentucky HB537: AN ACT relating to child welfare.
Status: In committee, February 9, 2026
Amend KRS 199.462 to prohibit an individual from being approved to provide foster care or relative caregiver services to a child, be considered a fictive kin placement for a child, or to receive a child for adoption if the individual or an adult or minor child living in the individual's home has been directed by a court to complete or attend sex offender treatment.
What the bill says
An act relating to child welfare.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT relating to child welfare. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Section 1. KRS 199.462 is amended to read as follows: (1) Before an applicant is approved to provide foster care or relative caregiver services to a child, to be considered a fictive kin placement for a child, or[ approved] to receive a child for adoption, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall: (a) Require a criminal background investigation of the applicant and any of the applicant's adult household members by means of a fingerprint check by the Department of Kentucky State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; or (b) Request from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet records of all conviction information for the applicant and any of the applicant's adult household members. The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet shall furnish the information to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and shall also send a copy of the information to the applicant. (2) The request for records shall be in a manner approved by the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, and the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet may charge a fee to be paid by the applicant for the actual cost of processing the request. (3) The Cabinet for Health and Family Services shall not disapprove of any placement …
Sponsors
- Jared Bauman (R, HD-028) · primary sponsor
- Kim King (R, HD-055)
Latest actions
- : to Families & Children (H)
- : to Committee on Committees (H)
- : introduced in House
Subjects: Domestic Relations, Crimes And Punishments, Courts, Children And Minors, Public Safety
Common questions
- What is HB537?
- HB537 is a bill in the Kentucky Legislature (2026 Regular Session): AN ACT relating to child welfare.
- What does HB537 do?
- In its own words: An act relating to child welfare.
- What is the status of HB537?
- In committee as of February 9, 2026. Latest action: to Families & Children (H) (February 9, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB537?
- Jared Bauman (R, HD-028), with 1 co-sponsor.
- Where is the official record for HB537?
- On the Kentucky Legislature website: https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26rs/hb537.html
Source: official Kentucky record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.