Robin Webb: Putting politics aside for disaster relief

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FRANKFORT

The commonwealth has faced a global pandemic and two natural disasters over the last two years. From COVID-19 to the tornadoes in western Kentucky and now the devastating floods in eastern Kentucky, it seems we cannot catch a break. The loss of life and damage to these communities is heartbreaking. Many lost everything, and it will likely take years to rebuild.

On Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Andy Beshear issued a proclamation summoning legislators to Frankfort for a special session with the sole purpose of considering legislation that:

• Establishes, appropriates funds to, and provides for the administration of the East Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE) fund,

• Amends the statute relating to the West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (WKSAFE) fund, in particular by extending the date of the fund through June 30, 2026, and

• Provides relief to eastern Kentucky school districts impacted by the flooding emergency, in particular by relaxing requirements relating to the number of student attendance days, leave for teachers, and remote instruction, and provides relief to western and eastern Kentucky school districts impacted by the tornado and flooding emergencies by setting forth new requirements relating to average daily attendance for SEEK funding.

On Wednesday, the House and Senate gaveled in for the three-day special session focused on emergency funding and recovery efforts in at least 11 counties affected by the record flooding. By Friday, the Senate and House comprised a bill and sent it to the Governor to enact.

The ultimate relief package that passed the General Assembly appropriates $200 million from the budget reserve trust fund and more than $12 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to establish the EKSAFE fund.

The relief package will be allocated as follows:

• $115 million to the military affairs budget unit in the Division of Emergency Management

• $40 million to the operations and support services budget unit in the Department of Education

• $45 million to the highways budget unit in the Transportation Cabinet to repair roads and bridges

• $12 million in ARPA funds to repair water and sewer infrastructure

The bill will also give the school districts in the impacted counties flexibility in student attendance days, remote instruction, and emergency leave for teachers. The $40 million allocated to the Department of Education in the fund may be used for necessary wrap-around services, such as after school programs, mental health care, and transportation.

I was proud to stand with the Governor, Senate President, Speaker of the House and eastern Kentucky legislators at the press conference unveiling the disaster relief bill earlier this week. I want to commend the Governor and legislative leadership for their cooperation and swiftness in getting this done for our people. When the General Assembly returns for the 2023 Regular Session, I am certain this will be a topic we revisit once we have more time to adequately assess the damage.

One thing about these kinds of disasters is that they know no political affiliation, and in Kentucky, we support our neighbors in their time of need. Much like the General Assembly did in the aftermath of the tornadoes in western Kentucky, I’m glad to see politics put aside to provide and expedite disaster relief for our people.

Now that we have put this special session behind us, we look forward to interim joint committee and task force meetings continuing in September. For more on the Kentucky General Assembly, visit legislature.ky.gov. On the website, you can see the weekly schedule, watch live and archived coverage of committee meetings, search legislator contact information, learn about the legislative process, view informational materials, and request to testify at committee meetings.

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