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1A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION reestablishing the Disaster Prevention and
2 Resiliency Task Force to study preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, risk
3 assessment, infrastructure resilience, and planning for natural disasters that impact the
4 Commonwealth.
5WHEREAS, the Legislative Research Commission established the Disaster
6 Prevention and Resiliency Task Force during the 2025 Interim of the General Assembly
7 to study, review, and make recommendations regarding current and future policy needs to
8 address risk assessment, strategic planning, prevention of natural disasters, response
9 efforts, temporary housing, and relief strategies in the Commonwealth, and to submit
10 recommendations based on its findings to the Legislative Research Commission; and
11WHEREAS, the task force held six meetings, received testimony from state
12 agencies, disaster readiness organizations, long-term recovery groups, state universities,
13 research institutions, and insurance associations, and discussed the Commonwealth's
14 current challenges in facing natural disasters, including risk assessment, strategic
15 planning, prevention of natural disasters, response efforts, temporary housing, and relief
16 strategies; and
17WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has experienced an increase in the occurrence and
18 severity of natural disasters, as well as other disaster threats, including infectious
19 diseases, hazardous materials incidents, and man-made disasters that impact humans,
20 wildlife, and agricultural animals; and
21WHEREAS, the Commonwealth ranks among the most disaster-impacted states in
22 the nation, with eight of the ten counties with the highest number of federal major
23 disaster declarations between 2011 and 2023 located in the Commonwealth; and
24WHEREAS, preparedness efforts to prevent and mitigate natural disasters are
25 crucial to ensuring the safety and protection of the citizens of the Commonwealth in
26 future weather-related calamities. Additionally, research shows that every dollar spent on
27 disaster mitigation and resilience can return up to $13 in benefits through avoided
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1 damages, reduced disruptions, and faster recovery; and
2WHEREAS, the General Assembly recognizes a continued need to study the
3 Commonwealth's current disaster readiness plans, as well as resilience models from other
4 states similar to that of Kentucky, in order to continue bettering the Commonwealth's
5 preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, and to plan for future disasters; and
6WHEREAS, one of the recommendations of the Disaster Prevention and Resiliency
7 Task force was to continue the work of the task force during the 2026 Interim;
8NOW, THEREFORE,
9 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the
10 Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Senate concurring therein:
11Section 1. The Legislative Research Commission shall reestablish the Disaster
12 Prevention and Resiliency Task Force in order to:
13(1)    Study, review, and make recommendations regarding current and future
14 policy needs to address risk assessment, strategic planning, prevention of natural
15 disasters,     response   efforts,   temporary housing,   and relief        strategies   in     the
16 Commonwealth;
17(2)    Evaluate preparedness and mitigation approaches employed by other states
18 with comparable population and economic characteristics to forecast and manage natural
19 disasters and determine effective governance, administration models, and policies that
20 may be suitable for adoption in the Commonwealth;
21(3)    Analyze fiscal aspects of various prevention, replacement, infrastructure, and
22 mitigation costs to identify cost-sharing opportunities and maximize the use of state and
23 federal funds allocated to disaster preparedness, mitigation, and relief;
24(4)    Analyze the role of the legislative and executive branches in preventing and
25 protecting against natural disasters as well as collaboration between federal, state, and
26 local governments and their respective agencies in preparedness, mitigation, and relief
27 efforts;
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1(5)    Review the functionality, duties, structure, independence, effectiveness, and
2 efficiency of the Commonwealth's various agencies, offices, and departments that engage
3 in activities intended to increase resilience to current and future disasters;
4(6)    Review publications, reports, and analyses of governance strategies relating to
5 statewide disaster resilience and risk reduction activities;
6(7)    Hear testimony from entities with experience in research on and expertise in
7 the structures, policies, and governance specific to statewide disaster resilience and risk
8 reduction activities; stormwater management and use; risks associated with drought,
9 wildfire, and extreme heat; urbanization impact; project and operational financing;
10 affordability; available grants; and appropriate partnerships;
11(8)    Hear testimony from individuals who have relevant professional, academic, or
12 research expertise, or who otherwise have significant experience in relevant areas,
13 including engineering, disaster preparedness and response, public planning, hydrology,
14 environmental protection, or climatology;
15(9)    Hear testimony from citizens from across the Commonwealth whose lives and
16 livelihoods have been affected by flooding, tornadoes, drought, fires, or other extreme
17 weather events;
18(10) Assess available relevant data sources and identify data gaps relevant to
19 current and future multi-hazard risks, including but not limited to data describing
20 precipitation patterns, stream flows, and riverine and flash flood risk;
21(11) Review relevant past efforts to build disaster resilience across the
22 Commonwealth, including but not limited to activities and outcomes associated with the
23 Council for Community Recovery and Resilience created following the catastrophic 2022
24 flooding in eastern Kentucky;
25(12) Review how other states have implemented or put in place state resilience
26 offices, chief resilience officers, and statewide resilience plans and assess whether these
27 models may be replicable in the Commonwealth;
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1(13) Assess the need for any other alternative governance structures, operations,
2 management, and policy models designed to advance disaster resilience and risk
3 reduction outcomes across the Commonwealth;
4(14) Explore options for expanded Commonwealth-wide resilience functions and
5 their potential impact on:
6(a)    Federal, state, and local funding;
7(b)    Commonwealth-owned real property and facilities;
8(c)    Commonwealth-owned construction;
9(d)    Insurance availability and affordability;
10(e)    Transportation infrastructure;
11(f)    Critical infrastructure and key resources;
12(g)    Stormwater management and use;
13(h)    Urbanization;
14(i)    Economic development and opportunity;
15(j)    Out-migration and labor force;
16(k)    Affordable housing availability;
17(l)    Assessment and accountability;
18(m) Personnel and tenure;
19(n)    Transition and startup timelines;
20(o)    Implementation costs;
21(p)    Compliance with existing state and federal laws; and
22(q)    Any other issue;
23(15) Identify and recommend a framework for a comprehensive, executable
24 strategy for long-term disaster resilience and risk reduction and identify the stakeholders,
25 partners, and topics necessary to create a plan for long-term disaster resilience and risk
26 reduction; and
27(16) Develop recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation or
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1 administrative action.
2Section 2.  The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force shall be
3 composed of the following members, with final membership of the task force being
4 subject to the consideration and approval of the Legislative Research Commission:
5(1)    (a)       Three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the
6 Speaker of the House, one of whom the Speaker shall designate as co-chair; and
7(b)    Two members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the
8 Minority Floor Leader of the House; and
9(2)    (a)       Three members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the
10 Senate, one of whom the President shall designate as co-chair; and
11(b)    Two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Minority Floor Leader of
12 the Senate.
13Section 3.  The Disaster Prevention and Resiliency Task Force shall meet
14 monthly during the 2026 Interim of the General Assembly. The task force shall submit
15 findings and recommendations to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the
16 appropriate committee or subcommittee thereof by December 1, 2026.
17Section 4.  Provisions of this Resolution to the contrary notwithstanding, the
18 Legislative Research Commission shall have the authority to alternatively assign the
19 issues identified herein to an interim joint committee or subcommittee thereof, and to
20 designate a study completion date.
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