On the six-month anniversary of the December tornadoes that devastated Western Kentucky, I would like to share the progress that the General Assembly has made in providing relief and recovery support to the communities impacted by the storms.
During the 2022 Regular Session, we passed several bills for tornado recovery:
Providing Disaster Relief for Western Kentucky – HB 5 created the Western Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies fund to provide relief for Western Kentucky counties affected by the devastating storms of December 2021.
Disaster Days for Schools Impacted by Tornadoes – HB 397 waived up to 15 attendance days for school districts impacted by the Western Kentucky tornadoes. The measure made sure that students and teachers would not have to stay in school and make up the days lost from the December tornadoes.
Extending Western Kentucky Disaster Relief- HJR 29 extended a series of executive order and administrative regulations issued in response to the December 2021 storms. Measures include the establishment of the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund, unemployment insurance claims and benefits, and other measures to ensure those affected are protected as they recover from the devastation.
Tornado Relief Aid for Western Kentucky – SB 150 appropriated over $120 million to the West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE), administered by the Department of Military Affairs, to provide aid to Western Kentucky following the devastating storms of December 2021.
There isn’t one person in our community whose life is the same following the tornadoes. These relief efforts were to help those who saw the destruction first hand and those who lost everything. The SAFE fund aimed to alleviate some of the difficulties families and students were facing. Our community is strong, people are resilient, and they’re finding the strength to navigate these difficult months through their faith and values.
As we look back at the last six months, we see that our community has gone through so much together, and we stand stronger together because of it. The legislature has not forgotten the devastation that the storms brought to Western Kentucky. We are committed to do more for the tornado victims and their families if needed.
Finally, I would like to use this update to personally thank our incredible first responders, medical personnel, law enforcement, and anyone who helped with the storm cleanup over the last six months. It truly takes a village to overcome such devastation.
As always, I hope you will feel free to contact me with any questions or issues. I can be reached here at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Please feel free to email me at Chris.Freeland@LRC.KY.GOV. If you would like more information about any of these committees or legislative actions, you can visit the Legislative Research Commission website at legislature.ky.gov.
