1. (1) There is hereby created the Kentucky Child Care Advisory Council to be composed of thirty-four (34) members. The members appointed by the Governor shall serve a term of three (3) years. The appointed members of the council shall be geographically and culturally the Commonwealth and shall be no less than proportionally representative of the two

2. (2) leading political parties of the Commonwealth based on the state's voter registration and the political affiliation of each appointee as of December 31 of the year preceding the date of his or her appointment. For administrative purposes, the council shall be attached to the department. The members shall be as follows:

   1. (a) The commissioner of the department, or designee;
   2. (b) Four (4) members appointed by the Governor representing child-care center the population of representative of providers licensed pursuant to this chapter;
   3. (c) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor representing family child-care home providers licensed pursuant to this chapter;
   4. (d) Three (3) members appointed by the Governor who are parents, de facto custodians, guardians, or legal custodians of children receiving services from child-care centers or family child-care homes licensed pursuant to this chapter;
   5. (e) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor representing local child-care resource and referral agencies;
   6. (f) One (1) member appointed by the Governor with a professional background in economics from a list of names provided by the president of the Council on Postsecondary Education;
   7. (g) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor with professional backgrounds in, or specialized knowledge of, child care and early childhood issues from a list of names provided by the President of the Senate;
   8. (h) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor with professional backgrounds in, or specialized knowledge of, child care and early childhood issues from a list of names provided by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
   9. (i) One (1) member appointed by the Governor with a professional background in, or specialized knowledge of, child care and early childhood issues from a list of names provided by the Minority Floor Leader of the Senate;
   10. (j) One (1) member appointed by the Governor with a professional background in, or specialized knowledge of, child care and early childhood issues from a list of names provided by the Minority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives;
   11. (k) Three (3) members appointed by the Governor from the private sector who are knowledgeable about education, health, and development of children;
   12. (l) The director of the Division of Child Care within the department, or designee, as a nonvoting ex officio member;
   13. (m) The commissioner of education, Education and Labor Cabinet, or designee, as a nonvoting ex officio member;
   14. (n) The executive director of the Governor's Office of Early Childhood, or designee, as a nonvoting ex officio member;
   15. (o) The commissioner of the Department for Public Health within the cabinet, or designee, as a nonvoting ex officio member;
   16. (p) The state fire marshal, Public Protection Cabinet, or designee, as a nonvoting ex officio member;
   17. (q) The executive director of the Kentucky Center for Statistics, or designee;
   18. (r) The two (2) co-chairs of the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children who shall be nonvoting members;
   19. (s) The two (2) co-chairs of the Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue's Budget Review Subcommittee on Health and Family Services who shall be nonvoting members; and
   20. (t) The two (2) co-chairs of the Interim Joint Committee on Education who shall be nonvoting members.
   21. (2) The council shall have two (2) co-chairpersons. One (1) co-chairperson shall be the commissioner of the department, or designee, and one (1) co-chairperson shall be elected by the voting members of the council.
   22. (3) Members shall serve until a successor has been appointed. If a vacancy on the council occurs, the Governor shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.
   23. (4) Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses in accordance with state travel expenses and reimbursement administrative regulations.
   24. (5) The council shall meet at least quarterly and at other times upon call of the co- chairpersons.
   25. (6) The council shall advise the cabinet on matters affecting the operations, funding, and licensing of child-care centers, child-care microcenters as defined in KRS 199.8911, family child-care homes, and other matters as directed by the General Assembly. The council shall provide input and recommendations for ways to improve quality, access, and outcomes.
   26. (7) The council shall make an annual report by December 1 each year that provides summaries of its actions and discussions from that year and recommendations to address the availability, affordability, accessibility, and quality of child care in the Commonwealth. A copy of the annual report shall be posted on the cabinet's website and provided to the secretary, the Governor, and the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint Committee on Families and Children.

Effective: April 14, 2026

History: Amended 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 146, sec. 3, effective April 14, 2026. -- Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 211, sec. 26, effective January 1, 2023; ch. 223. sec. 10, effective January 1, 2023; and ch. 236, sec. 98, effective July 1, 2022. -- Amended 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 159, sec. 53, effective July 14, 2018. -- Created 2015 Ky. Acts ch. 49, sec. 1, effective June 24, 2015.