SENATOR LINDSEY TICHENOR INTRODUCES
LEGISLATION TO HELP IDENTIFY CHILD ABUSE
FRANKFORT, KY (January 11, 2024) – Senator Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, filed legislation today to require animal control officers to be trained to recognize child physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and neglect. Senate Bill 106 (SB 106) is also known as “Kyan’s Law” after Kyan Higgins who was killed by his mother in 2021. Startling enough, animal control officers had been called to Kyan’s home more than 20 times before he was murdered.
Kyan’s Law was introduced on the Senate floor alongside the young woman who inspired Tichenor to file the legislation, Kiera Dunk, an Oldham County resident and student at North Oldham County High School.
“Studies has shown there is a strong link between animal abuse and child abuse,” said Tichenor. “It seems that animal abuse is a pretty good indicator of child abuse and if this legislation saves one child’s life, it will be well worth it.
Tichenor was referring to the Dickering study that indicates that as much as 88 percent of families being investigated for physical child abuse had prior involvement with animal control. If passed, this legislation would require initial and recurring training for all animal control officers on how to spot apparent child abuse when responding to calls to homes where animals are found to be abused.
Any person who knows or has reasonable cause to believe that a child is dependent, neglected, or abused will file an oral or written report to a local law enforcement agency or the Kentucky State Police, the cabinet, the commonwealth's attorney, or the county attorney.
If passed, the cabinet receives a report of abuse or neglect allegedly committed by a person other than a parent, guardian, fictive kin, person in a position of authority, person in a position of special trust, or person exercising custodial control or supervision, the cabinet will refer the matter to the commonwealth's attorney or the county attorney, local law enforcement agency, or the Kentucky State Police.
If the legislation is passed, it would mean training would begin by January 31, 2025.
Incidentally, Kiera Dunk worked with House Speaker David Osborne in 2022 to help pass Kami’s Law, which increases the penalties for those convicted of child abuse if the victim is younger than 12. Dunk was a seventh grader at the time.
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Senator Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, represents the 6th Senate District, including Oldham and Trimble Counties and part of Jefferson County. She serves as a Senate Education; Families and Children; and Health Services committee member. Tichenor is also a Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources Committee member.