summary
Introduced
02/06/2026
02/06/2026
In Committee
02/25/2026
02/25/2026
Crossed Over
02/25/2026
02/25/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 610 to establish a pilot program to be known as the Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program for children who are truant; require the pilot program to be established in no less than 10 public school districts; establish the responsive interventions to support and empower teams; establish criteria for participation and procedure for the program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 159 to establish the duties of the director of pupil personnel in school districts that are participating in the pilot program; amend KRS 159.140 to conform; create a new section of KRS Chapter 160 to require schools to collect certain data relating to habitual truancy and require the Kentucky Department of Education to annually report data relating to habitual truancy to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary; amend KRS 610.030 to require the use of an evidence-based family screening tool to identify family strengths, needs, and risks; create family diversion plans and require a child's parent to participate; amend KRS 605.030 to require a court-designated worker to coordinate the pilot program in the school districts that participate; amend KRS 17.125 to allow responsive interventions to support and empower teams to access information on juveniles involved with the juvenile justice system; amend KRS 600.020 to amend the definition of "habitual truant" and define "Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program" or "SOAR Program" and "Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower Teams" or "RISE teams"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 630 to provide that a child who is alleged to be a status offender, adjudicated a status offender, or is a status offender alleged or found to have violated a valid court order shall not be detained in a secure detention facility until the child is at least 16 years old; amend various sections to conform; repeal KRS 630.100.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a pilot program called the Supporting Opportunities for Accountability and Restoration Program (SOAR Program) in at least ten public school districts to address truancy among students in grades six through twelve. The SOAR Program will involve "Responsive Interventions to Support and Empower" (RISE) teams, composed of various school and community professionals, who will work with students and their families to identify and address barriers to school attendance. The bill also introduces family diversion plans, requiring parental participation, and mandates the use of evidence-based family screening tools to assess family strengths, needs, and risks. Furthermore, it clarifies that children under 16 years old alleged or adjudicated as status offenders (children who commit offenses that would not be crimes if committed by adults, such as truancy or running away) will not be held in secure detention facilities. The bill also requires schools to collect data on habitual truancy and for the Kentucky Department of Education to report this data annually to the legislature, aiming to improve understanding and intervention strategies for students struggling with school attendance.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
to Committee on Committees (H) (on 02/25/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
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