FRANKFORT, Ky. — Editor's note: The above video is from Aug. 23 when Gov. Andy Beshear announced the special session.
Millions of dollars are expected to head to flood-ravaged eastern Kentucky.
On Wednesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced $212 million will go toward the affected counties.
The announcement came after state lawmakers convened Wednesday for a special session nearly a month after the historic flooding.
Surging floodwaters destroyed homes and businesses and caused significant damage to roads, bridges and water systems. The disaster caused at least 39 deaths, while thousands of families “lost everything,” the governor said.
Kentucky's Republican-dominated House and Senate convened mid-afternoon, a day after Beshear summoned lawmakers to the statehouse to take up a massive flood-relief package. The late-summer special session is expected to wrap up Friday.
“Since the beginning of this natural disaster, there’s been positive, productive communication between the executive and the legislative branch,” Beshear said. “I would call it bi-partisan. I believe it has been non-partisan.”
The Senate adjourned Wednesday in honor of one of the 39 people who died as a result of the disaster – Aaron Mick Crawford. The teen died suddenly after helping with flood clean-up.
Senate President Robert Stivers noted how important it was to come together after tornadoes hit western Kentucky in December 2021, but said this time, the need may be even greater.
“Nobody asked about politics. Nobody asked about doing this to do photo-ops. People were out there muddy,” he said. “I don’t want to diminish anything, but it’s pretty easy to see a building that is totally obliterated versus a school that has 6 feet of water to know what the extent of the damage is."
That’s why lawmakers said the relief package will only be temporary, in place of another they will pass during regular session next year.
“It is meant until the next meeting of the general assembly when we’ll have so much more information,” Beshear said.
The bill would also give schools flexibility on remote days, easing the burden on students and teachers.
Lawmakers and eastern Kentucky residents also said the relief is important because they said FEMA hasn’t provided enough financial assistance.
The influx of state assistance — coupled with federal aid — are seen as crucial in efforts to rebuild the flood-stricken region, which has suffered from a declining coal industry.
The need for disaster-related aid comes as the state is flush with revenue. The state’s Budget Reserve Trust Fund surged well past $2 billion after huge surpluses were amassed the past two years.
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