Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman says Kentucky law requiring registered child sex offenders to use their full name on social media can be enforced statewide, after a unanimous ruling from the U.S. 6^th Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Under the 2024 law, any registered sex offender in Kentucky who has committed a crime against a minor must use their full name if they choose to use social media. An anonymous registered sex offender in Daviess County sued County Attorney John Burlew to stop enforcement of the law. The AG’s office stepped in to defend its constitutionality in federal court.

”We are working relentlessly to protect our kids from predators online,” Coleman said. “Policy makers in the General Assembly passed a common-sense law to keep Kentucky kids safe. We successfully defended that law up to the federal court that’s one level below the Supreme Court of the United States. We will continue to fight against online predators who try to use the anonymity of the internet to harm our kids.”

The AG’s office argued the law complies with the First Amendment and is a reasonable safeguard to protect Kentucky’s children from online predators. Unless the plaintiff seeks review by the U.S. Supreme Court, the case now returns to the federal district court.

“Kentucky’s leaders came together in a bipartisan way to protect our children online. I’m grateful to Attorney General Coleman and his staff, in particular Jack Heyburn, for taking up this fight on my behalf to keep kids safe.  I’m thankful this important law may now go into full effect,” said Daviess County Attorney Burlew.

State Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, who sponsored Senate Bill 249, said, “As a mother and lawmaker, my priority is keeping children safe. The purpose of SB 249 is to stop convicted sex offenders from hiding who they are online and using social media to target kids. With the court’s decision, SB 249 is now fully in effect to further protect children online and give families peace of mind. I’m grateful for the collaboration between the Attorney General’s Office and General Assembly in keeping Kentucky kids safe.”