FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – Gov. Andy Beshear has signed into law legislation passed on the last day of the General Assembly establishing a SAFE Act for those in the 16 counties covered by the Presidential Major Disaster Declaration due to the February flooding and other severe weather.

“This was another major natural disaster, and took the lives of 24 Kentuckians, each one a child of God,” Beshear said in announcing the bill signing in a Facebook post. “After any and all of these natural disasters, the families that are impacted deserve our best. They deserve that promise that we are going to rebuild every structure and every life. And now, those who were impacted by the February floods are going to get the same kinds of resources we saw after tornadoes or flooding in the last several years.”

House Bill 544 expands and consolidates disaster relief funding mechanisms by creating the State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE 4860) fund—named after the federal disaster declaration code for recent flooding in Kentucky. The bill doubles the overall funding cap from $50 million annually to $100 million over two years, giving the governor immediate access to $100 million to deploy emergency relief.

Existing balances in the Eastern Kentucky SAFE and Western Kentucky SAFE funds, enacted following tornadoes and floods in 2021 and 2022—about $45 million—may now be transferred into the new SAFE 4860 fund. The legislation also outlines specific eligible uses, introduces accountability measures such as reporting from the state budget director and the Department of Education, and allows some funds to be structured as repayable, depending on their use.

“This effort is about delivering real help, not just passing legislation,” said Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester. “When crises hit, families and local businesses can’t afford to be stuck in a web of delays. That’s why I was determined to drive making these funds available immediately, so eastern Kentucky gets the support it needs without unnecessary obstacles. Our region has had more than its fair share of adversity, and this measure reinforces our dedication to rebuilding more quickly and with full transparency. “

Since HB 544 contained an emergency clause, the funding became available as soon as the governor signed the measure into law and delivered to the Secretary of State’s office on Monday.