Kentucky Senate leaders say they're ready for special session on tornado disaster funds

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Senate leaders said they're ready for a special session to address tornado disaster funds.

Gov. Andy Beshear would have to call for a special session, which he said he will likely need to do, when he requests more disaster recovery funding for areas of the state hit by a string of severe weather in recent months, specifically the May 16-17 system that tore through the state.

Lawmakers spoke from their temporary Senate chamber Wednesday, acknowledging the destruction left in several counties by an EF4 tornado last month, LEX18 News reported.

The tornado with 170 mph winds crossed through three Kentucky counties. The NWS office in Jackson, Kentucky, confirmed through a multi-day survey the tornado was 1,700 yards wide at its peak — nearly 1 mile — and was on the ground for more than 55 miles from Somerset to London.

Beshear estimates recovery costs could reach hundreds of millions of dollars for parts of London and Somerset. Twenty people were killed and several others were injured.

In the meantime, lawmakers said the governor has access to some disaster response money.

Senators said a special session could last a single day, but Beshear would need to show where the disaster money would be spent.