Legislative update

My colleagues and I in the Kentucky General Assembly directed attention and efforts toward eastern Kentucky’s needs just as we did for western Kentucky in the 2022 Legislative Session. Having learned valuable lessons from what transpired here in western Kentucky last December, members of Senate Leadership worked closely with members of the eastern Kentucky legislative delegation, and met with local judge-executives, mayors and volunteers. The legislature leaned heavily into the personal experiences of those on the ground in the region, which led to House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, also known as EKSAFE, the Eastern Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies.

Following weeks of deliberate conversations to identify eastern Kentucky’s most pressing and immediate needs, legislative leaders signaled to the governor that the General Assembly was prepared to take action. Together, we crafted a relief package to bring desperately needed aid to local governments, communities and schools. (Recently), a proclamation of the governor called lawmakers into an extraordinary session where we successfully enacted EKSAFE into law, allocating a total of $212,662,200 of direct aid to those impacted by the disaster. We were able to allocate the additional $12.6 million in remaining American Rescue Plan Act dollars to replace bridges and roads, water, sewer and underground utilities the flood waters simply washed away.

From the total, $75 million will go to the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs’ Division of Emergency of Management. This state legislature governs the roles and functions of Kentucky Emergency Management. KYEM’s mission is to coordinate a system of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery during crisis situations such as July’s floods. An additional $40 million will be available if the first $75 million is exhausted.

As a means of supporting school operations hampered by flooding, and ensuring we provide a quality education to students, EKSAFE is allocating $40 million to the Kentucky Department of Education. The bill gives the school districts in the impacted counties flexibility in student attendance days, remote instruction and emergency leave for teachers by temporarily reforming state statutes governing those requirements.

Another $45 million will repair roads, highways and bridges in the region. The sheer force of floodwaters completely washed away homes and infrastructure. Sadly, it also swept away human lives. While we know these dollars cannot bring back lives lost or heal broken hearts, it is a first step toward the recovery and rebuilding of communities.

Legislative focus entering the extraordinary session was committed to meeting the short-term needs in eastern Kentucky and I am pleased to say we accomplished our collective goal. Further needs assessment will take place in the months ahead as we distribute EKSAFE funding across the region. We well know from our own experience last December how slowly our Federal Emergency Management Agency operates. We remain committed to reassessing needs again in January when the General Assembly begins the 30-day 2023 Legislative Session.

Unfortunately, western Kentucky residents understand all too well what our eastern Kentucky brothers and sister are going through as they begin their long journey to recover and rebuild. Join me with continued prayers for those who have lost so much. Consider helping in any way you can, big or small. Be safe. God bless.

Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray, represents the 1st District including Calloway, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon and Trigg counties.