- Kentucky’s juvenile detention system still struggling with ‘critical staffing issues’ (Kentucky Lantern, 6/16/2023)
- Understaffing in Kentucky’s juvenile justice system has led to the shuffling of juveniles in detention and raises concerns about accommodating the additional detainees under upcoming legislation. The Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee and the General Assembly’s Juvenile Justice Oversight Council are investigating the juvenile justice system after reports of increasing violence in the facilities.
- Kentucky: Legislative committee issues report on juvenile justice (Columbia Magazine, 7/15/2023)
- The Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee has approved over two dozen recommendations to address issues in Kentucky’s juvenile justice system after fires and a riot at state detention centers. The recommendations include increased oversight of detention facilities, improved staff training, better tracking of offenders and incidents, and enhanced monitoring of staff grievances. The committee’s report highlights various factors contributing to the incidents, such as inadequate facility design and supervision breakdowns, and calls for improvements in data management, mental health services, and staffing ratios.
- Lawmakers discuss problems at juvenile detention facilities (The Paducah Sun, 10/13/2023)
- During a hearing before the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee, officials from the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) discussed measures taken to address sexual misconduct allegations and the impact of understaffing on a juvenile detention center in Adair County. The committee heard about a DJJ worker being fired for inappropriate behavior with a juvenile in Campbell County and discussed steps taken after the incident. The DJJ has implemented policies, training, and the use of pepper spray to address safety concerns, and lawmakers were informed about ongoing efforts to improve conditions for juveniles in detention, although concerns about isolation practices and mental health support were raised by officials from the state Department of Public Advocacy.
- Legislative report shows single-bid contracts pave way for road work (Louisville Public Media, 8/21/2024)
- A legislative report reveals that Kentucky has increasingly awarded road work contracts to single bidders, raising concerns about transparency and competition. These no-bid contracts, often used for urgent projects, bypass the usual competitive bidding process. The report suggests that while they can expedite work, they also risk higher costs and reduced oversight.
- Kentucky auditor sues governor over access to child abuse database (WDRB, 8/30/2024)
- Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball filed a lawsuit against Gov. Andy Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to gain access to a database of child and adult neglect and abuse cases. The lawsuit argues that without full access to this information, the ombudsman’s office cannot effectively oversee the cabinet’s handling of these cases, which are crucial for protecting the state’s most vulnerable citizens. The dispute stems from a legislative change that transferred the ombudsman’s office from the cabinet to the auditor’s office, affecting their ability to review sensitive case data.
- Agreement reached in lawsuit between Beshear, auditor over access to abuse database (Courier Journal, 9/18/2024)
- An agreement has been reached in the legal dispute between Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball and Governor Andy Beshear’s administration regarding access to the iTWIST database, which tracks abuse and neglect cases. The conflict arose after the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) blocked the Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman from accessing the system following its move under the Auditor’s office. A court-ordered settlement now requires CHFS to restore access to the ombudsman, resolving the lawsuit filed by Ball, who argued that this access is critical for protecting vulnerable children and adults in Kentucky​.
- State auditor asks for deeper investigation of foster children housing (West Kentucky Star, 1/29/2025)
- Kentucky State Auditor Allison Ball has called for a deeper investigation into the housing of foster children in state office buildings after receiving concerning data from the Commonwealth Office of the Ombudsman. A preliminary review found that 49 children, some as young as one year old, spent a total of 198 days in Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) offices over a four-month period, with stays averaging 4.04 days and one child staying as long as 35 days. Ball emphasized the need for urgent action to address systemic failures and expand the investigation to include children housed in hotels and state parks.
- Single-bid road paving contracts in Kentucky this year increased costs by millions, analysis finds (Kentucky Lantern, 8/7/2025)
- An analysis by the Kentucky Forum for Rights, Economics and Education estimated that single-bid road paving contracts awarded by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in the first half of 2025 cost $12.8 million more than projects with multiple bidders. The group’s findings drew on prior University of Kentucky and Legislative Research Commission (LRC) research showing lower costs when at least two bidders compete, while a 2023 LRC report to lawmakers cited rural contractor scarcity and distance from asphalt plants as contributing factors and recommended measures to increase competition. The Transportation Cabinet stated it solicits competitive bids and follows procurement rules but sometimes receives only one bid, and did not comment on which LRC recommendations it has implemented.
- Kentucky Republicans issue subpoenas to Beshear administration for budget information (Kentucky Lantern, 2/24/2026)
- Republican leaders of the Kentucky Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee issued subpoenas to State Budget Director John Hicks and Personnel Cabinet officials, stating that months of requests for information on the Kentucky Employee Health Plan were unmet and that the data are necessary to craft the next biennial budget. According to the lawmakers’ press release, the subpoenas seek actuarial reports, enrollment data, premium rates, and related communications for plan years 2023–2028, amid debate over House budget bills that critics say could shift health insurance costs to state and school employees. A spokesperson for Gov. Andy Beshear characterized the subpoenas as meritless and said the administration had already provided the requested information, including a 390-page report and newly compiled actuarial data.
- A checklist for state lawmakers who want to protect adopted children (News from the States, 3/24/2026)
- Guidance outlined for state lawmakers describes policy options to strengthen oversight of adoption systems and protect adopted children, including improved data tracking, post-adoption services, and accountability measures for agencies. According to the recommendations, legislative oversight committees could play a role in monitoring outcomes and enforcing standards. The checklist indicates these steps will help address gaps in supervision and ensure child welfare systems better safeguard adopted children.
- Heavrin analyzes child abuse report: Children less than 4-years-old at greatest risk for abuse, neglect (K105, 7/28/2026)
- Kentucky’s Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children reviewed the 2025 Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel report, which found that children age four and younger—particularly infants under one—remained at the highest risk of abuse or neglect, while cases involving ingestion of illicit or harmful substances and physical abuse increased during fiscal year 2024. According to the panel, the report highlighted trends including rising pediatric overdoses, increased prenatal cannabinoid exposure, and recurring family risk factors, and recommended additional training for child welfare staff and medical providers along with improved monitoring of child welfare case practices. Lawmakers were also informed that House Bill 778, enacted during the 2026 Regular Session, expanded criminal abuse and neglect statutes to address child ingestion and inhalation of controlled substances and required related training for state employees.
