KY HCR36

Establishes the Child Welfare and Family Court Reform Task Force to review Kentucky laws and policies on child abuse, neglect, foster care, and court procedures, and develop legislative recommendations

Kentucky's child maltreatment rate is 14.2 per 1,000 children, nearly double the national rate of 7.4 per 1,000, with 14,484 child victims recorded in a single year

Task force membership includes 8 legislators (4 House, 4 Senate), the Commissioner of Community Based Services, the Administrative Office of the Courts director, plus 4 at-large members (family court judge, law enforcement, county attorney, community organization representative)

Task force must meet at least monthly during the 2026 Interim and submit recommendations to the Governor and Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2026

Over 8,000 Kentucky children are currently in out-of-home care, with 2,792 awaiting adoption; average foster care cost is $89.28 per child per day