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KRS 196.173

Pregnant inmates housed in jail, penitentiary, local or state correctional or detention facility, residential center, or reentry center -- Permissible and impermissible restraints

Effective: June 27, 2025 History: Amended 2025 Ky

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, an inmate housed in a jail, penitentiary, or local or state correctional or detention facility, residential center, or reentry center who is known to be pregnant shall be restrained solely with handcuffs in front of her body unless further restraint is required to protect herself or others.

(2) (a) Except in an extraordinary circumstance, no inmate who is known to be pregnant shall be restrained during labor, during transport to a medical facility or freestanding birthing center for delivery, or during postpartum recovery.

(b) As used in this subsection, "extraordinary circumstance" means that reasonable grounds exist to believe the inmate presents an immediate and credible:

1. Serious threat of hurting herself, staff, or others; or 2. Risk of escape that cannot be reasonably minimized through any method other than restraints.

Official source: Kentucky General Assembly. Reproduced from public-domain Kentucky statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.