Legal battle over foster care law in Kentucky ends in dismissal

Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball sued Gov. Andy Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, claiming they failed to enforce Senate Bill 151 — a law designed to help kinship caregivers raising children in foster care.

Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate ruled the case was not ripe for review and said the auditor doesn’t have grounds to bring it.

“My administration has always prioritized the safety and well-being of Kentucky’s children, and we’re committed to working with any office to see that goal through,” Beshear said. “The dismissal of this unfounded lawsuit proves that Team Kentucky isn’t letting politics get in the way of doing what’s right. Implementing Senate Bill 151 requires more funding, yet the General Assembly failed to do so in both the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions. It’s disappointing the auditor would file a taxpayer-funded lawsuit without attempting to speak with the administration about the issues of implementing Senate Bill 151 first.”

The Cabinet argued it cannot implement the law because lawmakers didn’t appropriate funding.

The order dismisses the case, though Ball could still take it to a higher court.