summary
Introduced
01/29/2026
01/29/2026
In Committee
02/11/2026
02/11/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
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.
AI Summary
This bill, known as Jayden's Law, significantly strengthens protections for children by creating a new capital offense for child abuse homicide, where a person intentionally abuses or neglects a child under 18, resulting in their death. It also expands the age of victims for various child abuse and manslaughter offenses to under 18, increasing the severity of penalties, including making certain first-degree criminal abuse offenses a Class A felony. Licensed child-care centers will be required to install and retain video surveillance footage of public areas for 90 days, with exceptions for private areas like bathrooms. Furthermore, the bill establishes a rebuttable presumption for terminating parental rights if a parent is convicted of a felony involving serious physical injury to a child or causing a child's death due to abuse, meaning the court would assume termination is necessary unless the parent can prove otherwise.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
Senate Committee On Judiciary (09:00:00 3/12/2026 Annex Room 149) (on 03/12/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/26RS/sb138.html |
| BillText | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/sb138/orig_bill.pdf |
| Corrections Impact | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/note/26RS/sb138/CI.pdf |
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