Beshear signs 4 new bills to protect children, support sexual assault survivors in Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Gov. Andy Beshear signed four bills today to better protect children across Kentucky and provide more support to survivors of sexual assault and rape.
House Bills 4, 134, 521 and 778 address issues ranging from grooming and stalking to foster care protections and the state’s response to sexual assault, a news release from Beshear’s office read.
“We have a sacred duty to protect our fellow Kentuckians – especially our children – and today I am proud to sign legislation that will help us do that,” Beshear said. “From strengthening Kentucky’s stalking laws and our state’s response to sexual assault to ensuring that grooming is seen as a criminal offense and creating protections for those in foster care, we’re working together to make our commonwealth a safer place for all our people.”
Beshear’s office provided the following information on each bill signed by the governor:
- House Bill 4 establishes the offense of grooming to better protect children and hold offenders accountable;
- House Bill 134 formalizes the role of a statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner coordinator to strengthen the state’s response to sexual assault cases and better support survivors;
- House Bill 521 enhances Kentucky’s stalking laws by broadening the scope covered under the law to include social media; and
- House Bill 778 increases child welfare protections in foster care and adoption procedures to prohibit placements from being made if someone is on the sex offender registry.
