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HB 544 Kentucky House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT relating to disaster relief, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.

Summary
Amend KRS 48.210, relating to branch budget bills, to require the Transportation Cabinet to provide assistance to the General Assembly during the budgeting process.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Feb 14, 2025 Signed Mar 31, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Current/Final · 8 edits
MODERATE
This bill transforms from a general branch budget bill into a disaster relief appropriation for Kentucky storms that occurred on February 14, 2025. It creates a new fund called the SAFE 4860 fund to provide financial support to cities, counties, school districts, and nonprofits affected by the disaster, with funds that do not lapse until June 30, 2028.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from general budget procedures to specific disaster relief for a named event (severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, and landslides in Kentucky beginning February 14, 2025).
DEFINITION

Created new definitions for 'Kentucky disaster' and 'SAFE 4860 fund' to establish the specific event and funding mechanism.

FISCAL

Established a new fund administered by the Department of Military Affairs that can receive state appropriations, gifts, grants, and federal funds.

TIMELINE

Set a fund expiration date of June 30, 2028, and specified that interest earnings remain in the fund.

ELIGIBILITY

Limited eligibility to cities, counties, school districts, and nonprofits located in disaster-affected areas with documented disaster-related needs.

Specified eligible expenses include damage repair for public buildings, essential government facilities, water infrastructure, and school district recovery needs.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirements for recipients to retain documentation and adhere to reimbursement terms if receiving funds from other sources.

Prohibited the Department of Military Affairs from publicly soliciting contributions that could impact nonprofit disaster relief fundraising efforts.

EXEMPTIONS

Excluded funding for new construction inside the 100-year floodplain area.

Floor votes · House Mar 11, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
31
Key actions
11
Committee
10
Mar 31, 2025
Signed into law
signed by Governor (Acts Ch. 129)
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
enrolled, signed by President of the Senate
upper
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
enrolled, signed by Speaker of the House
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
passed 100-0
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred in Senate Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
placed in the Orders of the Day for concurrence in House Committee Substitute
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Committee
to Rules (H)
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 38-0 with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, 2nd reading, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1)
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Committee
to Appropriations & Revenue (S)
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
taken from Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
3rd reading, passed 99-0 with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (1) and Committee Amendment (1-title)
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Committee
to Appropriations & Revenue (H)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Feb 14, 2025
Introduced
introduced in House
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.