HCR36 • 2026

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force.

Children

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: M. Lockett
Last action: 2026-04-15
Official status: 04/15/26: recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force.

What This Bill Does

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HCS1

House Committee Substitute 1

Retain original provisions; direct that the task force report shall be submitted to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committees on Families and Children and Judiciary.

Plain English: UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HCR 36/HCS 1 Page 1 of 3 HCR003630.100 - 1839 - XXXX 3/5/2026 1:03 PM House Committee Substitute A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family 1 Court Reform Task Force.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HCR 36/HCS 1 Page 1 of 3 HCR003630.100 - 1839 - XXXX 3/5/2026 1:03 PM House Committee Substitute A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family 1 Court Reform Task Force.
2 WHEREAS, Kentucky has nearly dou ble the national rate of child maltreatment at 3 14.2 per 1,000 children, compared to the national rate of 7.4 per 1,000 children; and 4 WHEREAS, the most recent data indicates that Kentucky recorded a total of 14,484 5 child victims of maltreatment in a single year; and 6 WHEREAS, the youngest Kentuckians remain the most vulnerable to abuse and 7 neglect, as nearly 30 percent of the total victims of child maltreatment in Kentucky were 8 children under the age of four; and 9 WHEREAS, the total number of children in out o f home care in Kentucky is over 10 8,000, and the total number of children waiting for adoption is 2,792; and 11 WHEREAS, Kentucky children entering foster care still face lengthy wait times 12 before achieving permanency, as nearly 30 percent of the children reuni fied with their 13 families in 2023 spent more than 12 months in foster care, and over 50 percent of 14 children adopted in 2023 spent at least three years in foster care; and 15 WHEREAS, the average time it takes for a termination of parental rights 16 disposition after the case filing date is 215 days, prolonging the child's time in foster care 17 before the child is eligible for adoption; and 18 WHEREAS, the average cost per day for one child in foster care in Kentucky is 19 $89.28, creating a significant financial impact on the Commonwealth; and 20 WHEREAS, preventing child maltreatment and safely reducing the number of 21 children in foster care is critical to the well -being of Kentucky families and to the state's 22 prosperity; and 23 WHEREAS, the General Assembly is committed to protecting children from 24 maltreatment and believes that any proposed reform requires comprehensive input from 25 experts and individuals with lived experience; 26 NOW, THEREFORE, 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS HCR 36/HCS 1 Page 2 of 3 HCR003630.100 - 1839 - XXXX 3/5/2026 1:03 PM House Committee Substitute Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 1 Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein: 2 Section 1.
The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to establish 3 the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force.
The task force shall review 4 existing laws and relevant agency policies regarding child abuse and neglect, foster care, 5 and court processes and procedures, seek input from experts and individuals with lived 6 experience, and develop recommendations for proposed legislation to be considered by 7 the General Assembly.

Bill History

2026-04-15 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
2026-03-06 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
2nd reading, to Rules
2026-03-05 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
2026-02-04 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
to Families & Children (H)
2026-01-22 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
introduced in House to Committee on Committees (H)

Official Summary Text

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1839
Page 1 of 3
XXXX 1/21/2026 1:09 PM Jacketed
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION establishing the Child Welfare and Family 1
Court Reform Task Force. 2
WHEREAS, Kentucky has nearly double the national rate of child maltreatm ent at 3
14.2 per 1,000 children, compared to the national rate of 7.4 per 1,000 children; and 4
WHEREAS, the most recent data indicates that Kentucky recorded a total of 14,484 5
child victims of maltreatment in a single year; and 6
WHEREAS, the youngest Kentucki ans remain the most vulnerable to abuse and 7
neglect, as nearly 30 percent of the total victims of child maltreatment in Kentucky were 8
children under the age of four; and 9
WHEREAS, the total number of children in out of home care in Kentucky is over 10
8,000, and the total number of children waiting for adoption is 2,792; and 11
WHEREAS, Kentucky children entering foster care still face lengthy wait times 12
before achieving permanency, as nearly 30 percent of the children reunified with their 13
families in 2023 spent m ore than 12 months in foster care, and over 50 percent of 14
children adopted in 2023 spent at least three years in foster care; and 15
WHEREAS, the average time it takes for a termination of parental rights 16
disposition after the case filing date is 215 days, pr olonging the child's time in foster care 17
before the child is eligible for adoption; and 18
WHEREAS, the average cost per day for one child in foster care in Kentucky is 19
$89.28, creating a significant financial impact on the Commonwealth; and 20
WHEREAS, preventing child maltreatment and safely reducing the number of 21
children in foster care is critical to the well -being of Kentucky families and to the state's 22
prosperity; and 23
WHEREAS, the General Assembly is committed to protecting children from 24
maltreatment and believes that any proposed reform requires comprehensive input from 25
experts and individuals with lived experience; 26
NOW, THEREFORE, 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1839
Page 2 of 3
XXXX 1/21/2026 1:09 PM Jacketed
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 1
Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein: 2
Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission is hereby directed to establish 3
the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force. The task force shall review 4
existing laws and relevant agency policies regarding child abuse and neglect, foster care, 5
and court p rocesses and procedures, seek input from experts and individuals with lived 6
experience, and develop recommendations for proposed legislation to be considered by 7
the General Assembly. 8
Section 2. The Child Welfare and Fami ly Court Reform Task Force shall be 9
composed of the following members, with final membership being subject to the 10
consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission: 11
(1) Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of 12
the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be designated by the Speaker of the 13
House of Representatives as a co-chair of the task force; 14
(2) One member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Minority Floor 15
Leader of the House of Representatives; 16
(3) Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, one of 17
whom shall be designated by the President of the Senate as a co-chair of the task force; 18
(4) One member of the Senate appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of the 19
Senate; 20
(5) The commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, or 21
designee; 22
(6) The director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, or designee; and 23
(7) Four at -large members appointed by the Legislative Research Commission, 24
including: 25
(a) One family court judge; 26
(b) One member representing law enforcement; 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1839
Page 3 of 3
XXXX 1/21/2026 1:09 PM Jacketed
(c) One member of the Kentucky County Attorneys Association; and 1
(d) One member representing community -based organizations, whether for -profit 2
or nonprofit, with experience in programs fo r children and families, including substance 3
abuse prevention and treatment, case management, mental health, or counseling. 4
Section 3. The Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force shall at a 5
minimum meet monthly during the 2026 Interim of the General Assembly and shall 6
submit recommendations to the Governor and to the Legislative Research Commission 7
for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Health Services by December 1, 2026. 8
Section 4. Provisions of this section to the contrary notwithstanding, the 9
Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the 10
issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to 11
designate a study completion date. 12