AN ACT relating to schools and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 160.145 to expand existing definitions and define "private electronic communication" and "qualified school volunteer"; limit the scope of unauthorized electronic communication to private electronic communication and exclude designated types of communication from the scope of the requirement to obtain written parental consent prior to communicating outside of the traceable communication system; limit the scope of the school volunteers subject to this section to qualified school volunteers; specify that the requirement to obtain written…

Introduced: January 6, 2026

Last action: January 28, 2026

To Committee On Committees (H)

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This bill updates rules for how school employees and volunteers can communicate privately with students, requiring written parental consent in most cases and creating exceptions for emergencies. It also strengthens hiring practices by requiring background checks, reference checks, and disclosure of past misconduct for employees at public schools, charter schools, and certified nonpublic schools, while banning nondisclosure agreements that could hide misconduct involving minors. Additionally, it requires regular training on sexual misconduct and inappropriate relationships for school employees. Who it may affect: students and their parents, public and private school employees and volunteers, and school district administrators across Kentucky.

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