Latest news with #StateAidforEmergencies
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saying he is ‘grateful' to lawmakers, Beshear signs bill for Kentucky flood aid into law
The Rolling Fork River in New Haven, Feb. 17, 2025. ( Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) Gov. Andy Beshear signed a bill into law that sets up a new state aid fund for Kentucky communities affected by recent floods, though he has said the bill 'isn't enough.' House Bill 544, which received final passage in the General Assembly Friday with bipartisan support, establishes a new SAFE fund, or State Aid for Emergencies, to respond to widespread mid-February floods. The bill does not appropriate new dollars to respond to the floods. Kentucky previously started SAFE funds after floods in Eastern Kentucky and tornadoes in Western Kentucky. Beshear said in a video shared on social media Sunday that he was 'grateful' the legislature passed a new SAFE fund on the final day of the 2025 legislative session. The governor said the legislation 'is going to help communities, cities and counties' affected by the floods, which took 24 lives. 'After all or any of these natural disasters, the families that are impacted deserve our very best,' Beshear said. 'They deserve that promise that we're going to rebuild every structure and every life.' 'We're there': Beshear urges legislature to lift its cap on emergency spending Under the legislation, $48 million will be transferred from the previous SAFE funds to the new one created by the bill. It also allows $100 million to be spent on flood aid from the current state budget on governor-declared emergencies, instead of the $50 million limit per fiscal year set by the legislature last year. Beshear said in February that the $50 million cap for the current fiscal year already had been reached. When asked about the legislation before the veto period began in March, Beshear told reporters that the bill was 'a little bit better from where it originally was' as it would allow funds allocated for next fiscal year to be used now. However, he said, that could be a problem for future natural disasters in Kentucky if funding is still limited. Beshear said that 'while the bill isn't nearly enough, I'll sign it.' In other flood-related legislation that was filed this session, Beshear allowed a bill to become law without his signature that gives Kentucky public school districts options to make up or waive days lost to bad winter weather and floods. The Senate added protections for a controversial online school from enrollment caps imposed by state education officials. Additionally, the Senate passed a resolution that would have created a task force that would review how the state could become better prepared for natural disasters. However, the legislation did not move in the House.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
KY House budget chair ‘begins the conversation' on state aid for flood victims
An aerial view of Bacon Creek in Hart County, Feb. 16, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) The chairman of the House budget committee has introduced what he said would 'begin the conversation' on millions of dollars in state aid for Kentuckians reeling from recent statewide floods. Rep. Jason Petrie, R-Elkton, said the measure, which does not appropriate any money, would create a new SAFE fund, or State Aid for Emergencies, like Kentucky had after earlier Eastern Kentucky floods and Western Kentucky tornadoes. He introduced it as a committee substitute for House Bill 544 in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee Tuesday morning. Hours later, the House passed the bill with a vote of 99-0. In February, floods washed over Kentucky and bitter winter weather followed. In total, 24 people were killed. Shortly thereafter, President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for the natural disaster. The legislation would allow millions of dollars in aid to address the effects of the February floods, said Petrie, who is also the committee's chairman. In the last state budget, the General Assembly imposed a spending cap on emergency funding to respond to natural disasters, but Petrie said at least $23 million is left before the state reaches the cap. At the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, the cap will reset to free up an additional $50 million. Petrie also said $48 million could be transferred from the previous SAFE funds to the new one created by the bill. The latest version of the bill was not immediately available online Tuesday morning but added later that morning. Petrie repeatedly said the bill mirrored legislation for the previous SAFE funds. All committee members present voted in favor of the bill. In response to questions from committee members, Petrie said information about damage estimates from the flood is continuing to evolve. If the legislation needs to change before the current legislative session ends, 'we still have sufficient time to' amend it. 'If we were to leave this session and whatever is done at the end of the session has been accomplished — if it is insufficient for this event or any other event, and there is always the mechanism of calling a special session, having an agreement beforehand and coming in and taking care of the issue,' Petrie said. Under Kentucky law, the governor calls special sessions of the legislature. However, at the end of last month, Beshear had said there would likely be no need for a special session in the coming months. His administration was a part of conversations about the legislation with Republican lawmakers. This story was updated Tuesday afternoon.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beshear says flood relief talks with lawmakers ‘productive,' warns Kentuckians beware scammers
Family members of Kathy Kinney gather around her in a vehicle near her flooded home at Ramsey Mobile Home Park in Pikeville, Feb. 17, 2025. (Photo by) Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged Kentuckians affected by flooding to apply for aid through FEMA by visiting downloading the FEMA app or calling 800-621-3362. The governor also warned Kentuckians to be cautious, as there has been one report of someone posing as a FEMA official. Beshear said the agency would never ask for or accept money and officials would always carry photo ID with them. Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of a scam should contact their local law enforcement department or the Office of the Attorney General. FRANKFORT — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said 'productive conversations' between his administration and lawmakers in the Republican-controlled General Assembly about flood relief aid 'are going on right now.' During his weekly press conference Thursday, Beshear said his administration has 'seen an incredible willingness' from lawmakers during the discussions and he anticipates legislation will be passed during the current session, meaning there would likely be no need for a special session in the coming months. Last week, widespread floods and bitter winter weather killed 23 people in Kentucky. The state is no stranger to natural disasters. Since Beshear has been in office, Kentucky has been granted 13 federal declarations for aid. The governor said he's hoping to work with lawmakers on a new SAFE fund, or State Aid for Emergencies. Kentucky had SAFE funds to respond to 2021 tornadoes in Western Kentucky and 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky. 'Remember, the process is important because there were additions from legislative leaders that were really beneficial in how we put this together, both for the West and the East,' Beshear said. Beshear said the new fund will be similar to the past SAFE funds, but he would like to see some differences. Particularly, he wants it to be easier to move money between pots of dollars to get it where it's needed quickly. Debris removal efforts will also be different this time around, as the need is statewide and not localized to just one region. Lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee heard an update from two Eastern Kentucky Republican senators about damage in their districts Wednesday morning. Sens. Phillip Wheeler and Scott Madon, said the initial assessments show millions of dollars in damages from the weather. After the meeting, the committee chair, Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, told reporters 'there will be something' on financial legislation but it was unclear what it would be as assessments were still ongoing. The governor toured Pike and Knott counties in Eastern Kentucky Wednesday. During his Thursday update, Beshear said state-led intake centers in those counties have been visited by more than 1,000 people seeking assistance. Two disaster recovery centers have been opened in Pike County, the governor added. Beshear met with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler Wednesday evening in Frankfort after they surveyed flood damage in Eastern Kentucky by helicopter. Loeffler announced SBA disaster loans in counties affected by floods, including 11 Kentucky counties included in the disaster declaration. Republican President Donald Trump approved expedited disaster assistance for individuals and local governments in 11 Kentucky counties — Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry and Pike. The approval FEMA announced Monday was for 10 counties and subsequently expanded to include Floyd County. The president approved an emergency declaration shortly after the flooding began on Feb. 14.
