summary
Introduced
02/24/2026
02/24/2026
In Committee
03/03/2026
03/03/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Repeal and reenact KRS 158.1415 to require each school district to provide healthy relationship education instruction to all public school students; establish minimum requirements for the instruction; establish minimum requirements for the healthy relationship curricula and instructional materials; prohibit a school or school district from restricting the ability of an instructor to answer a question related to the instruction; require that a school make the healthy relationship curricula and instructional materials available upon the request of a parent or guardian and establish a procedure for a parent or guardian to opt a student out of the instruction; require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations necessary to implement, administer, and enforce this section; require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations requiring that each school district submit a report on healthy relationship instruction in the district biennially; require the Kentucky Department of Education to maintain a list of recommended healthy relationship curricula and instructional materials; permit a parent or guardian to file an enforcement action in Circuit Court; provide that the Act may be cited as the Education for Healthy Youth Act.
AI Summary
This bill, known as the Education for Healthy Youth Act, mandates that all Kentucky public school districts provide healthy relationship education to students from kindergarten through twelfth grade, starting in the 2027-2028 school year. This instruction must cover topics such as human development, healthy relationships based on respect, consent, bodily autonomy, distinguishing healthy from unhealthy relationships, and the harms of gender-role stereotypes and violence. It also requires instruction on decision-making skills, positive body image, online safety, abstinence, and the use of contraceptives and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention measures, including information on local health services. The curriculum must be age-appropriate, developmentally and culturally appropriate, medically accurate, inclusive of diverse backgrounds and identities (including LGBTQ+ individuals), and trauma-informed, meaning it considers the impact of adverse life experiences. Schools cannot prevent instructors from answering student questions related to the instruction, and parents or guardians must be able to access the curriculum and materials and have the right to opt their child out of the instruction without penalty. The Kentucky Board of Education will create regulations to implement and enforce these requirements, including setting instructor qualifications and requiring biennial reports from school districts on their healthy relationship instruction. The Kentucky Department of Education will maintain a list of recommended curricula and resources, and parents or guardians can file a lawsuit in Circuit Court if a school fails to comply with the bill's provisions.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
to Primary and Secondary Education (H) (on 03/03/2026)
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/hb717.html |
| BillText | https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/26RS/hb717/orig_bill.pdf |
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