SB11 establishes a state-administered rebate program to help Kentucky homeowners pay for constructing or installing storm shelters that meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) safety standards. Eligible homeowners may receive reimbursement for 50 percent of construction or installation costs, up to $5,000, provided they make their shelters available to community members during severe-weather emergencies. The program is funded through federal grants, including FEMA funds, and other public and private contributions, with rebates beginning in January 2027, subject to available funding.
The Kentucky State Senate passed SB11 on March 6, 2026 by a vote of 33 to 3. We have assigned pluses to the nays because taxpayer-funded rebate programs are not a legitimate function of government. Furthermore, requiring shelters to meet standards established by FEMA, an agency lacking authorization under Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, further entangles Kentucky in unconstitutional federal overreach. Conditioning rebates on homeowners making their shelters available to the public during emergencies also allows government to influence how private property is used. Government grants waste taxpayer dollars by subsidizing private projects and allowing government to pick winners and losers, rather than leaving such decisions to individuals and the free market.