26RS SB 138

Senate Bill 138

Actions

Last Action	01/29/26: to Committee on Committees (S)
Title	AN ACT relating to the protection of children.
Bill Documents	Introduced
Fiscal Impact Statement	Corrections Impact
Bill Request Number	1763
Sponsors	B. Smith, S. Madon
Summary of Original Version	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.
Index Headings of Original Version	Short Titles And Popular Names - Jayden's Law Corrections Impact - Criminal abuse in the first, second, or third degree, increase victim age, penalty enhancement Children And Minors - Child-care centers, video surveillance, requirement Courts, Circuit - Termination of parental rights, felony conviction, abuse or neglect, rebuttable presumption Crimes And Punishments - Child abuse homicide, capital offense, establishment Crimes And Punishments - Criminal abuse in the first degree, mental state Crimes And Punishments - Criminal abuse in the first, second, or third degree, increase victim age, penalty enhancement Crimes And Punishments - Manslaughter in the first degree, age of child victim, increase to under 18 Crimes And Punishments - Manslaughter in the second degree, victim under 18, penalty enhancement Criminal Procedure - Child abuse homicide, capital offense, establishment Criminal Procedure - Criminal abuse in the first degree, mental state Criminal Procedure - Criminal abuse in the first, second, or third degree, increase victim age, penalty enhancement Criminal Procedure - Manslaughter in the first degree, age of child victim, increase to under 18 Criminal Procedure - Manslaughter in the second degree, victim under 18, penalty enhancement Licensing - Child-care centers, video surveillance, requirement Rules Of Evidence - Death penalty case, aggravating circumstances, age of child victim, increase to under 18