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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 838
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AN ACT relating to coordination of refugee assistance. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 194A IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
(1) As used in this section, "department" means the Department for Community 5
Based Services. 6
(2) The department shall administer funds received under the Refugee Act of 1 980, 8 7
U.S.C. sec. 1521 et seq. 8
(3) The department shall: 9
(a) Implement a statewide strategy to ensure compliance with the Refugee Act 10
of 1980; 11
(b) Work with localities to coordinate and support local efforts that align and 12
comply with the Refugee Act of 1980; 13
(c) Serve as the primary liaison between immigrant -serving and refugee -14
serving organizations and businesses and the federal government; 15
(d) Advise the Governor, appropriate state agencies, cabinet members, and the 16
General Assembly on ways to improve state policies with respect to 17
administering funds pursuant to the Refugee Act of 1980; 18
(e) Make recommendations to the Governor on whether to accept and where to 19
settle refugees based on available housing; and 20
(f) Submit an annual report to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security, and 21
to the Legislative Research Commission for referral to the Interim Joint 22
Committees on Appropriations and Revenue, St ate Government, Health 23
Services, and Families and Children, that includes: 24
1. The total number of refugees settled in the Commonwealth and the 25
number of refugees placed in each county. The department shall also 26
include any recommendations made to the Gover nor with respect to 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 838
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refugee acceptance and placement; 1
2. The amount of federal and state dollars allocated for refugee 2
resettlement services and support; 3
3. An estimate of the number of refugees enrolled at a Kentucky public 4
school in preschool through grade twelve (12) and an estimated cost of 5
educating the identified students using the average base funding level 6
per pupil computation in KRS 157.360. The Kentucky Department of 7
Education shall provide the department the data necessary to provide 8
the information required by this subparagraph; and 9
4. A breakdown, by type and dollar amount, of the services provided by 10
the federal government, state government, and nonprofit entities 11
relating health, economic assistance, or otherwise that are being 12
provided to re fugees in a given fiscal year, including but not limited 13
to: 14
a. Employment training and placement; 15
b. English language training; 16
c. Cash assistance; and 17
d. Health and medical assistance. 18
(4) The department may promulgate administrative regulations in accor dance with 19
KRS Chapter 13A to effectuate the provisions of this section. 20
Section 2. The Kentucky Department of Education shall collect the data 21
required by subsection (3)(f)3. of Section 1 of this Act for the Department for 22
Community Based Services' report. 23
Section 3. The Department for Community Based Services shall issue its first 24
report by July 1, 2027. 25