Bipartisan lawmakers propose Diaper Trust Fund to help Kentucky families

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW) — Lawmakers from both parties are pushing new legislation aimed at helping Kentucky families afford one of the most basic — and often overlooked — necessities: diapers.

Cassie Chambers Armstrong and Vanessa Grossl announced Friday that they have filed bipartisan, mirror legislation to create a Kentucky Diaper Trust Fund. The proposal includes Senate Bill 58 and House Bill 302.

According to the lawmakers in a release, the trust fund would create a permanent source of funding to help families access diapers for infants, toddlers, and adults who rely on incontinence products. The fund could receive state appropriations, private donations, and grant funding, with resources distributed to qualified nonprofits and community partners across the state.

Supporters of the legislation point out that diapers are not covered by any state or federal safety-net programs, including WIC, leaving families to pay entirely out of pocket or rely on nonprofits that often face overwhelming demand.

Lawmakers say about one in three Kentucky families reports struggling to afford enough diapers. In some cases, parents are forced to reuse disposable diapers or keep children home from daycare because they can’t meet minimum diaper requirements — situations that can lead to health issues and missed work.

“We need to stop treating diaper access like a private issue and start treating it like the public policy matter it is,” Chambers Armstrong said in the release. “No parent in Kentucky should be forced to choose between buying diapers and buying food.”

Also in the release, Grossl says the proposal grew out of conversations with families, health care professionals, and nonprofit leaders during a bipartisan roundtable last year.

“A diaper trust fund represents a compassionate shift toward proactive, responsible governance,” Grossl said. “This investment can reduce health care costs, prevent crises, and help set Kentucky’s children up for success from the very beginning.”

The proposal has already drawn support from community organizations across the state, including diaper banks and child care advocates.

Deanna Hornback, founder of the St. Bernadette Diaper Bank in Louisville, says diaper need is one of the most common struggles families share.

“This trust fund could be a game-changer,” Hornback said. “It would allow diaper banks and agencies across Kentucky to serve more people, more reliably.”

Debbie Link, executive director of the Child Care Council of Kentucky, echoed that sentiment in the release, saying access to diapers plays a key role in child health and family stability.

Advocates say diapers can cost families $70 to $100 per month per child, adding up to well over $1,000 a year when wipes and other essentials are included.

Lawmakers say the goal of the Diaper Trust Fund is simple: reduce stress on families, support healthy children, and help parents stay connected to work and child care.

The bills will be considered during the 2026 legislative session.