State Officials Were Questioned By Kentucky Legislators About Tornado And Flood Relief Funds

Republican legislators raised doubts about the effectiveness of the state’s financial assistance funds.

Republican legislators raised doubts about the effectiveness of the state’s financial assistance funds (Source: Independent).

Kentucky’s Relief Funds

During a recent legislative meeting, Republican legislators raised concerns about the effectiveness of the state’s relief funds allocated to assist the victims of the tornado outbreak in western Kentucky in 2021 and the subsequent flooding in eastern Kentucky in 2022.

Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, established these funds to collect donations from private entities and allocate them to those affected by natural disasters. However, GOP legislators expressed confusion regarding the specific process of distributing the funds, according to WKMS.

Representative Kevin Bratcher, a Republican from Louisville, inquired about the criteria used to determine who receives relief funding.

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Kentucky Legislators questioned the relief funds intended for tornado and flood victims (Source: Courier-Journal).

Relief funds intended for tornado and flood victims

Jacob Walbourn, the general counsel for the state’s Public Protection Cabinet, which oversees the funds, explained that feedback from local government leaders and volunteer groups was considered in determining the areas where the disaster recovery funds could make the most impact.

D.J. Wasson, chief of staff to the Public Protection Cabinet secretary, mentioned that the funds had been used for purposes such as funding funerals for disaster victims, repairing homes in western Kentucky affected by the tornado outbreak, and providing $500 checks to flood survivors approved for FEMA assistance. 

Wasson noted that communities were now developing long-term recovery plans and communicating their ongoing needs to the officials overseeing the relief funds.

Democratic Senator Reggie Thomas from Lexington defended the state’s handling of the funds, emphasizing that there had been no indication of misusing or misappropriating public or privately donated funds to individuals who were not affected by the tornadoes or floods, according to Louisville Public Media.

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