Overview
- State Rep. Marianne Proctor introduced House Bill 4 to create a standalone offense for grooming, giving police a tool to intervene before physical sexual abuse.
- Under the proposal, grooming by an adult 18 or older involving a victim under 14 would be a Class A misdemeanor, and cases with victims under 12 would be a Class D felony.
- The bill sets harsher consequences for authority figures such as teachers and coaches, making offenses a Class D felony if the victim is under 18 and a Class C felony if under 12.
- Convictions would require proof of intent and a pattern of inappropriate behavior, a standard prosecutors say is designed to prevent criminalizing legitimate adult‑child interactions.
- Backers cite recent school-related allegations as the impetus, and say passage would align Kentucky with states like Wisconsin and Ohio that have similar statutes.