State putting $200 million in stop-gap tornado relief in place

Funds to keep repris, assistance going until federal, insurance money arrives

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – On the one-month anniversary of the deadly tornadoes that devastated western Kentucky, the state Legislature moves quickly to make sure stop-gap relief funding is in place.

The House Appropriations Committee approved Monday and sent to the full House $200 million for tornado relief. The money is meant to cover everything from utility and school repairs to mental health services for students and educators. Some of the money will be repaid whenever federal disaster assistance or insurance funds are received.

But lawmakers and Governor Andy Beshear say they want to make sure the money is in place.

“We know there’s going to be additional money that are needed for local governments, we know there’s going to be insurance shortfalls, we know there’s going to be school construction money, we just don’t know what those are are yet. So we wanted to  absolutely establish that the money is there, appropriate the money, but we don’t know how to identify the exact dollars yet. As soon as those dollars are identified then they will be released with additional pieces of legislation,” said House Speaker David Osborne, an Oldham Republican.

The bill approved Monday pinpoints $45 million immediately.  The House also extended for 90 days Gov. Andy beshear’s emergency declaration orders.