2026 Regular Session - Day 49 - HB 778 | Rep. Nick Wilson

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Could the clerk please report House Committee Substitute 1. Mr. Clerk, please report. House Committee Substitute 1 to House Bill 778. Gentleman from Whitley. House Committee Substitute 1 just cleans up some language and I will move for adoption. Motion made for the adoption of House Committee Substitute 1. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor please signify by saying aye. All opposed nay. Motion carries. House Committee Substitute 1 is adopted. Gentleman from Whitley. Thank you Mr. Speaker. House Bill 778 is about one simple principle, protecting Kentucky's children. This legislation makes several updates across our child welfare statutes to make sure our laws reflect the realities that families, courts, and investigators are dealing with today. First, the bill strengthens protections in the foster care and placement system, ensuring that individuals who pose a clear risk to children cannot be approved for placements in foster or adoptive homes. Section 1 makes it clear that a child cannot be placed in the same home as a person on the adult or juvenile sex offender registry. Section 2 states that each placement must meet the needs of the individual child. Furthermore, Sections 3 and 7 provide that a youth who opts out of the foster care system may opt back in until they're 20 and a half years old. Second, House Bill 778 improves coordination between agencies, courts, schools, investigators, and child advocacy professionals so that when serious situations arise involving a child, the right people have the information they need to respond appropriately. Third, the bill addresses modern threats to child safety, including situations where children are exposed to dangerous drugs or placed in environments that create a serious risk of harm. We worked hard on this bill to thread the needle to hold people accountable for truly dangerous conduct without criminalizing pure accidents. Many of these sections and provisions came from people working on the front lines. That includes law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection workers, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and advocates who see these cases every single day. Through our child welfare discussion meetings in the interim, we have been able to arrive at this great piece of legislation. I want to especially thank the members of this body who contributed to House Bill 778, including the gentleman from Jefferson 28, the lady from Jefferson 34, the gentleman from Laurel 90, the senator from McCracken 2, and of course, Madam Chair, the lady from Grayson 18. So I'm not sure this bill would be possible without her efforts and leadership and with with that, Mr. Speaker, I will move for passage of House Bill 778 as amended by House Committee Substitute 1.