KRS 12.510: Office for Faith -Based and Community Nonprofit Social Services

established -- Mission -- Principles -- Duties.

(1) The Office for Faith-Based and Community Nonprofit Social Services is established

in the Office of the Governor. The office shall be admi nistered by a staff person

designated by the Governor and shall have sufficient staff as required to implement

the provisions of KRS 12.500 to 12.520.

(2) The office shall have primary responsibility to establish policies, priorities, and

practices in the executive branch to enable and expand social service programs of

faith-based and community nonprofit organizations to the extent permitted by law.

(3) The office and all state government agencies that administer social service programs

supported by government funding shall adhere to the following principles:

(a) Government funding for social service programs shall be distributed in the

most effective and efficient manner possible;

(b) No organization shall be discriminated against on the basis of religion,

religious practices, or beliefs in the administration or distribution of

government funding for social service programs;

(c) No faith-based or community nonprofit organization providing social service

programs in whole or in part with government funding sh all discriminate

against beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries on the basis of religion,

religious practices, beliefs, or refusal to hold a religious belief or to participate

in a religious practice, or as otherwise provided by law;

(d) All programs inv olving government funding to faith -based and nonprofit

community organizations for social service programs shall be implemented in

accordance with the United States Constitution, the Constitution of Kentucky,

and all amendments thereto. Organizations that engage in religious worship,

religious instruction, and proselytization that receive government funding for

social service programs shall offer those social service programs separately in

time and location, and participation in such religious activities by any

beneficiary or potential beneficiary of a government -funded social service

program shall be strictly voluntary;

(e) Faith-based and nonprofit community organizations that receive government

funding may retain their autonomy, expression, or religious character and may

continue practicing or expressing religious beliefs. Organizations may use

existing facilities, in accordance with paragraph (d) of this subsection, without

removing or altering religious icons, art, scripture, or symbols and may retain

religious terms in its name and other documents governing the organization.

Government funding shall not be used to support inherently religious

activities, including but not limited to worship, religious instruction, and

proselytizing; and

(f) Faith-based and nonprofit community organizations that receive government

funding for social service programs shall comply with the same requirements

as any other entity that receives government funding for social service

programs is subject to, including but not limit ed to timely progress and final

reports, audits, inspection of premises, recordkeeping and accounting

practices, program evaluation, and outcome studies.

(4) The office shall:

(a) Develop and implement policies affecting faith -based and community

nonprofit organizations to increase the capacity of those organizations to

provide social services through executive action, legislative proposals,

administrative regulations, and government and private funding;

(b) Review and coordinate policies affecting the oppo rtunities for government

funding for social service programs by faith -based and other community

nonprofit organizations throughout all related agencies of state government;

(c) Implement and coordinate public education activities to increase faith -based

and community nonprofit social service program initiatives through

volunteerism, special projects, pilot or demonstration projects, and public -

private partnerships;

(d) Encourage private charitable giving to support faith -based and community

nonprofit organizations and social service programs;

(e) Provide information and legal education to state and local public officials and

policymakers to improve opportunities for gove rnment funding for social

service programs by faith-based and community nonprofit organizations;

(f) Provide education, training, and technical assistance to increase the capacity

and expertise of faith -based and community nonprofit organizations to

effectively manage government-funded social service programs; and

(g) Provide training and technical assistance to enable faith-based and community

nonprofit organizations to conduct program evaluation and outcome studies

on social services provided with government funding.