RICHMOND, Va. – Children in Virginia are faring worse, and the state's ranking on key measures of caring for them has fallen, according to the latest Annie E. Casey Foundation KIDS COUNT report.

The annual survey found about 40,000 more Virginia children are living below the federal poverty line now than at the lowest ebb of the Great Recession.

Ted Groves, KIDS COUNT director with Voices for Virginia's Children, says one-third of families in the commonwealth are in poverty or near poverty, and too many have been left behind by the selective economic recovery.

"The rising tide of the economic recovery did not lift all boats," says Groves. "Rather, it left thousands of Virginians essentially shipwrecked. So for the first time in years, the overall well-being of Virginia's children has worsened."

Groves says by some measures, including education and the teen birth rate, the state is doing a little better, but there are factors that trap too many of the working poor. Groves says many working parents need child care to keep their jobs, but too often they are unable to afford it – thereby becoming further entrenched in the cycle of poverty.

"The cost is just out of reach for many one-income families," he says. "It's really challenging for single parents with children to be able to have a full-time job and be able to afford child care."

He says one simple thing the state could do is expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The Commonwealth Institute estimates about 200,000 Virginians now fall into what's known as a "coverage gap." Groves says those families could get much better healthcare access with expansion, which would help their children.

"A large number of working families just can't afford health insurance, and our experience is that if the parents have access to healthcare, then the children do as well," he says. "It's an issue of life or death for many families."

KIDS COUNT found one in six children lives in poverty in Virginia, and according to the survey the state's overall ranking has fallen from 11th to 14th in terms of how well children are doing.


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A bill in the Nevada Legislature would prohibit school districts and staff from banning books without legal justification to brand the material "obscene."

On Tuesday, the Assembly Judiciary Committee heard Assembly Bill 416.

Asm. Brittney Miller, D-Las Vegas, the committee chair, sponsored the measure. Conservatives have targeted books containing LGBTQ+ content as well as racial and ethnic experiences, deeming them explicit and not in the best interest of young readers.

Miller sees it as a First Amendment issue and said the bill would ensure Nevadans, not the government, can decide what they choose to read.

"Assembly Bill 416 strikes a careful balance between protecting students' rights and the public's rights to access information," Miller contended. "And ensure that decisions about library materials are made based on educational merit, rather than political pressure or personal opinion or agenda."

Last year, more than 4,000 unique titles were targeted for censorship and more than 1,200 demands were made to censor library materials and resources, according to the American Library Association. The bill would make it a felony to "threaten to use any force, intimidation, coercion, violence, restraints or undue influence," in preventing a student from accessing certain library materials.

Debi Stears, a resource librarian at the Washoe County Library, said in 2023, they faced 23 book challenges and eight were heard by the library Board of Trustees. Stears was responsible for reading the works in question to determine if they were "obscene," and said they were not.

"Stories of immigrant children trying to find how they fit with the American dream. Stories of young people grappling with their identity," Stears outlined. "The notion of libraries giving obscene materials to children, to anybody, is absurd."

Summer Merrill, a Yerrington resident, told the committee while some of the efforts to limit reading materials may be well-intentioned, others indicate a fear of new ideas and change.

"AB 416 never can and never will force you to read, or your children to read, something that you are opposed to," Merrill emphasized. "Rather, it will ensure that future generations of children will have the same opportunity that I had to discover themselves through literature."


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A proposed Kentucky law would require animal control officers statewide to undergo training on identifying and reporting child abuse.

Kyan's Law is named after Kyan Higgins Jr, a 10-year-old Louisville boy murdered by his mother. Animal control had visited Kyan's home 24 times in the 18 months leading up to his death.

Joye Keeley, founder of the Kentucky Link Coalition, said in 88% of homes with physical abuse, animal abuse is also occurring.

"When you see a dog outside being neglected, or an abused animal, it always helps to expand the call for service," Keeley explained. "To look for other forms of abuse, because you could be saving a life."

After Kyan's death, Keely spearheaded an effort to create a Louisville city ordinance requiring animal control officers there to receive training on the link between animal abuse and child abuse. According to Kentucky Youth Advocates, last year 41 suspected child abuse cases were reported to the police and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services by Louisville's animal control officers.

Jai Hamilton, animal control officer for Lexington-Fayette County Animal Care and Control, said her colleagues are in a unique position. They are often more trusted because they are not law enforcement officers and can help speed up the involvement of Child Protective Services.

"There are some households that may not allow the police inside, but they're more apt to allow animal control inside the home," Hamilton observed.

Kiera Dunk, a student at Oldham County High School and a youth advocate, said the legislation is one tool for combating child abuse, noting the state has more work to do.

"I feel like people need to understand that we are still one of the worst in the nation for child abuse," Dunk emphasized. "We should be doing everything we can to help."

April is National Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month. The Kosair for Kids Face It Movement is hosting a virtual workshop on the issue Wednesday.



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A Florida bill that would roll back child labor restrictions cleared a Senate panel this week, sparking debate over whether it empowers families or risks pushing vulnerable teens out of school. The proposal, which would allow 16 and 17 year-olds to work longer hours on school nights and in some hazardous jobs, drew sharp criticism from advocates who warn it could worsen chronic absenteeism and dropout rates.

Tsi Smyth, vice president for public relations with the nonprofit advocacy group Voices of Florida, says the changes will affect some students more than others.

"This is going to disproportionately affect students that are growing up in poverty, and you are going to relegate them to a lifetime of poverty," he explained.

Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, sponsored Bill 918 and says it would match state rules with federal standards. It would allow 16 and 17-year-olds work 40 hours a week during school, up from the current 30-hour limit, and allow some currently banned jobs such as roofing. The measure passed along party lines, with Republicans in support. It now moves to the full Senate.

Collins said that most teen jobs are in safe places such as grocery stores, and his measure provides valuable work experience.

"Ultimately, we're not talking about 'The Jungle' by Upton Sinclair. We're talking about them working at Publix, at Piggly Wiggly, or jobs within the industry," he continued. "This is a far cry, I think often we demonize the employer cause it's going to take advantage of the children. This is a parental rights thing. Parents know their kids best."

Opponents including Sen. Carlos Guillermo, D-Orlando, warned it could lead to abuse.

"This bill is going to lead to exploitation of minors, exploitation of children, and I get the parental-rights conversation but there's no reference to parental rights in the bill," he explained.

The House bill faces one final committee vote. With Republican supermajorities controlling both chambers, passage appears likely, making Florida the latest GOP-led state to relax child labor laws. Business groups back the measure, but opponents warn it risks teen safety.