KY HJR50

Auditor of Public Accounts must contract with an independent third party to conduct a comprehensive study of statutes, regulations, and policies affecting licensed and certified child care services in Kentucky, with a final report due to the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2027.

Study will evaluate barriers to starting and operating child care programs, compare Kentucky's regulations to peer states and national standards, analyze federal law impacts, and identify duplicative or ineffective requirements.

Extensive stakeholder input required through surveys and focus groups, including child care providers, educators, parents, employers, pediatric professionals, and the Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council.

Study must analyze local regulatory barriers including zoning ordinances, land-use policies, permitting fees, and provide best practices for local governments to increase child care availability while maintaining safety.

Child-to-teacher ratios and maximum group sizes are explicitly excluded from the study's scope; recommendations must also address outdoor nature-based programs and use of the General Regulatory Sandbox Program.