Introduced
2026 Regular Session

SB138

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AN ACT relating to the protection of children.

Create a new section of KRS Chapter 507 to establish the offense of child abuse homicide as a capital offense; amend KRS 199.896 to require licensed child-care centers to maintain video surveillance of all public areas within the facility and retain video footage for 90 days; amend KRS 507.030 to increase the age of a child victim of manslaughter in the first degree from 12 or under to under 18; amend KRS 507.040 to increase the penalty of manslaughter in the second degree from a Class C to a Class B felony if the victim is under the age of 18; amend KRS 508.100 to add knowingly as a mental state of a person guilty of criminal abuse in the first degree; increase the age of a victim from under age 12 to under age 18; increase the penalty of criminal abuse in the first degree from a Class C to a Class B felony and from a Class B to a Class A felony if the victim is under the age of 18; amend KRS 508.110 to increase the age of a victim of criminal abuse in the second degree from age 12 or less to under 18; increase the penalty from a Class D to a Class C felony; amend KRS 508.120 to increase the age of a victim of criminal abuse in the third degree from age 12 or less to under 18; increase the penalty from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony; amend KRS 532.025, relating to aggravating circumstances in death penalty eligible cases, to increase the age of a victim of an intentional killing from under 12 to under 18; amend KRS 625.090 to create a rebuttable presumption that parental rights must be terminated if a parent has been convicted of a felony involving serious physical injury to any child or convicted of causing or contributing to the death of a child as a result of abuse; provide that the Act may be cited as Jayden's Law.

Short Titles and Popular NamesCorrections ImpactChildren and MinorsCourts, CircuitCrimes and PunishmentsCriminal ProcedureLicensingRules Of Evidence

Introduced: January 29, 2026

Last action: March 13, 2026

2nd Reading, To Rules
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Legislative History

Jan 29, 2026 · Senate
Introduced In Senate
Jan 29, 2026 · Senate
To Committee On Committees (S)
Feb 11, 2026 · Senate
To Judiciary (S)
Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Reported Favorably, 1st Reading, To Calendar With Committee Substitute (1) And Committee Amendment (1-Title)
Mar 13, 2026 · Senate
2nd Reading, To Rules (clerical)

Primary Sponsor

Portrait of Brandon Smith
Brandon Smith

Senator · Senate District 30

Primary sponsor
Brandon.Smith@kylegislature.gov
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Co-sponsors (3)

Portrait of Scott Madon
Scott Madon

Senator · Senate District 29

Co-sponsor
scott.madon@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Matt Nunn
Matt Nunn

Senator · Senate District 17

Co-sponsor
matt.nunn@kylegislature.gov
Portrait of Lindsey Tichenor
Lindsey Tichenor

Senator · Senate District 06

Co-sponsor
lindsey.tichenor@kylegislature.gov