LEXINGTON, Ky. — As the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly approaches its final weeks, lawmakers are advancing several measures to address sexual misconduct by educators, driven by investigative reports and survivor testimony exposing systemic failures to protect students.

House Bill 4, which criminalizes child grooming, was signed into law April 10 after winning overwhelming bipartisan support. Under HB4, adults who groom a minor for sex can be criminally charged, facing a Class A misdemeanor unless the minor is younger than 12 years old, in which case it is a Class D felony. For perpetrators in trusted positions, grooming a minor is a Class D felony unless the minor is younger than 12, in which case it is a Class C felony. Kentucky is now one of 13 states to have this type of legislation.

The Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting has documented the problem extensively. The podcast "Dig" revealed 18 years of child sex abuse allegations against two Louisville educators and football coaches, both of whom were still employed by Jefferson County Public Schools when the investigation began, uncovering systemic failings that allowed alleged abuse to continue despite reports from students. Ronnie and Donnie Stoner were charged with 52 felonies related to sexual abuse of students.

House Bill 253 bans schools from using non-disclosure agreements to cover up misconduct and sets new standards to stop offenders from jumping from school to school, and has reached the governor's desk. Under HB253, once an allegation is reported, district officials would be required to start and complete an investigation even if the employee resigns, and schools would be required to check with job candidates' former employers about any misconduct investigations. This version includes provisions from legislation Rep. James Tipton has filed each year since 2023 seeking to ban NDAs and tighten reporting requirements around educator sexual misconduct.

Additional proposals aim to close gaps in protections. A separate bill would make it a felony with up to 10 years in prison for an adult in a position of "authority or special trust," such as an educator, coach or church leader, to groom a child. Some advocates want to prohibit school staff from entering into sexual relationships with former students, closing what they call the "post-graduation loophole."

Advocates credit investigative journalism and survivor testimony for driving legislative action. Institutional Complicity Kentucky formed as a response to former Shelby County Schools students coming forward with stories of sexual abuse and grooming from staff members. Advocates note an increase in students speaking out about misconduct, though over 70 percent of victims typically do not disclose abuse within the first five years.