FRANKFORT, Ky. — Tuesday marks the beginning of interim session for Kentucky state lawmakers. Through the end of the year, they will meet monthly as part of several committees and task forces.

What You Need To Know

  • State lawmakers have returned to Frankfort for the start of the interim session 

  • Committees and task forces, made up of members from both chambers and parties, will meet through the end of the year 

  • No bills can be passed during this time

  • Implementing laws and future bills are often discussed

During the transportation committee’s first meeting, several Kentucky Transportation Cabinet leaders laid out how they responded to last month’s deadly tornadoes in Laurel and Pulaski counties. 

“Friday, May 16, all crews in all districts were on call. Trucks gassed up prepared, chainsaws prepared,” said KYTC secretary Jim Gray. 

Gray said crews tackled damaged areas in the tornados’ over 50-mile path, including I-75. 

Since the storm, they’ve hauled away thousands of tons of debris and plan to handoff cleanup efforts to a private company soon. 

“Those volunteers and contractors have really stepped up in this area. It is amazing to see the amount of debris that they’ve hauled. At one time they were hauling in 600 loads of debris daily to the 300 that we could take out,” said Chris Jones, chief district engineer for KYTC’s 11th District. 

The cabinet also gave an update on a law passed earlier this year that will allow for the use of automated speed cameras in highway work zones.  

“We want to make it really clear that this isn’t about issuing citations or anything else. This is about safety of workers in the work zones, as well as those folks that are traveling through them,” said Jason Siwula, KYTC deputy state highway engineer. 

Siwula said they hope to deploy a handful of speed cameras this fall before a full deployment next spring. 

Unlike in other states, a nearby officer would issue tickets to speeders, instead of it being an autonomous process. 

“These can save lives,” said Rep. John Blanton, R- Salyersville. “It’s proven across this country that they can save lives and that’s what we’re ultimately trying to achieve here.” 

Interim meetings will resume in Frankfort Wednesday and Thursday, including the Make America Healthy Again Task Force, which will study improving health outcomes in the state, and mirroring commitments of the Trump administration.

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