ZeroV 2026 Legislative Updates: February 10

Week five of Kentucky’s 60-day legislative session saw the introduction of new bills focused on children as well as protective orders. As week six begins, ZeroV prepares for its Advocacy Day, focused on its coalition's upcoming budget for the next biennium.

New Bills

SSB 156 prohibits those under the age of eighteen (18) from getting married. This bill is a further revision to our marriage law, which was revised in 2018 and which currently allows 17-year-olds to marry only with court approval and several protective requirements. There is a correlation between early marriages and domestic violence.

HB 558 gives district courts exclusive jurisdiction over IPOs. While this will not impact protective order hearings in counties where there is no family court, this will reduce the number of hearings on Family Court dockets, which should result in hearings happening faster in those counties.

You can see all the bills we're monitoring this session, along with brief descriptions of how they affect survivors, in ZeroV’s Bill Tracker. We will update our bill tracker on a weekly basis as new bills of interest are filed and relevant amendments are proposed. 

ZeroV Advocacy Day - February 11, 2026

About: Every year, leaders from ZeroV's 15 regional member programs gather in Frankfort to work with their legislators on policy solutions that support survivors. This year, ZeroV and its coalition members are focused on preserving critical state funding for Kentucky's DV services and advocating for additional investment to cover ever-increasing operating expenses and address unmet needs.

Why it Matters: Funding for ZeroV Member Programs is critical to ensure no survivor in Kentucky goes without access to lifesaving DV services, such as 24/7 crisis hotlines, emergency shelter, court advocacy, and more. This year's budget decisions will set the course for DV programs' service provision for the next two fiscal years.

What's Next: The House Budget Review Subcommittees will review HB 500 and make recommendations before the House votes on its final version of the budget. The Senate will then consider the measure. Budget negotiations will continue throughout the legislative session. At the end of the session, the House and Senate budget bills will be sent to the Governor for either signing into law or vetoing. Learn more about the budget process. 

About ZeroV’s Policy Advocacy 

The well-being of survivors is our top policy priority.  

Throughout the legislative session, ZeroV will advocate for adequate funding for domestic violence services. We will also advocate for policies that support the safety, healing, and well-being of survivors, enabling them to thrive. As a service to our community, we will provide weekly updates throughout the 2026 Legislative Session on the status of proposed legislation impacting survivors of domestic violence.

Thank you for staying informed and getting involved!