Yes. As of early 2026, Kentucky is under a state of emergency on more than one front. Governor Andy Beshear signed Executive Order 2025-758 on November 5, 2025, after the UPS cargo plane crash near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, and followed it with Executive Order 2026-047 on January 23, 2026, for a statewide winter weather event.1Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. SSC – KY – Extension of Emergency Declaration – No. 2025-011 A separate federal major disaster declaration from earlier in 2025 also remains in play. Because the state cycles through severe weather, flooding, and other crises regularly, at least one declaration is usually active at any given moment.
What Is Currently Active
Louisville Plane Crash (November 2025)
A UPS cargo plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville on November 4, 2025, triggering an explosion and fire that released roughly 38,000 gallons of fuel into surrounding property. People were killed and injured, and nearby businesses storing hazardous materials were damaged.1Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. SSC – KY – Extension of Emergency Declaration – No. 2025-011 Executive Order 2025-758 activated the Kentucky Emergency Operations Plan and directed the Division of Emergency Management to coordinate the response.
The federal government layered its own declarations on top. FEMA issued Emergency Declaration 3633-EM-KY, authorizing emergency protective measures across all 120 Kentucky counties with the federal government covering 75 percent of eligible costs.2FEMA.gov. 3633-EM-KY Initial Notice
Winter Weather (January 2026)
On January 23, 2026, Governor Beshear declared a separate state of emergency through Executive Order 2026-047 for a continuing winter weather event. Like the Louisville order, it activated the state Emergency Operations Plan and put the Division of Emergency Management in charge of coordinating state agency response.
Earlier Federal Disaster Declaration
A federal major disaster declaration, FEMA-4860-DR-KY, was approved on February 24, 2025, after severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding. Major disaster declarations carry broader federal assistance than emergency declarations and can stay open for extended periods while recovery continues.
What Being Under a State of Emergency Means for You
A declaration is not just a headline. It flips a set of legal switches that can change what sellers can charge, where you can go, and what help you can apply for. Not every order triggers every power; the specific executive order controls which ones are activated.
- Price gouging protections turn on for essential goods and services.
- The Governor can impose curfews and set their boundaries in the affected area.3Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.100 – Emergency Powers of Governor and Local Chief Executive Officers
- Written evacuation orders become enforceable. Anyone who refuses can be forcibly removed to a place of safety after law enforcement exhausts reasonable efforts at voluntary compliance.3Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.100 – Emergency Powers of Governor and Local Chief Executive Officers
- The Kentucky National Guard can be mobilized for security, logistics, or rescue.
- Pharmacists can be granted emergency dispensing authority under KRS 315.500.3Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.100 – Emergency Powers of Governor and Local Chief Executive Officers
- Federal assistance becomes accessible. A state declaration is often a prerequisite for FEMA aid and SBA disaster loans.
Firearms and ammunition are explicitly excluded from any property seizure the Governor might otherwise order.3Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.100 – Emergency Powers of Governor and Local Chief Executive Officers
Price Gouging Rules While a Declaration Is Active
Kentucky’s price gouging law activates once the Governor declares an emergency. Under KRS 367.374, sellers cannot charge a price “grossly in excess” of what they charged before the declaration on covered goods and services.4Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.374 – Sale or Rental of Goods and Services During Declared State of Emergency There is no fixed percentage cap; the standard is deliberately flexible so the Attorney General can pursue cases based on circumstances.
Covered items include consumer food, emergency cleanup services, emergency supplies, medical supplies, home heating oil, building materials, housing, transportation and storage services, and gasoline or other motor fuels.4Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 367.374 – Sale or Rental of Goods and Services During Declared State of Emergency Sellers have a defense if a price increase reflects a real cost increase from a supplier or from additional labor and materials needed to provide the good or service.
The prohibition initially runs for fifteen days and can be extended in fifteen-day increments as recovery continues. If a retailer was running a sale in the thirty days before the declaration, the baseline is the regular non-sale price, not the discount. For goods the seller was not previously offering, the baseline is the price at which similar goods were generally available in the area.
How Long These Declarations Stay in Effect
Kentucky law puts a hard limit on the most restrictive kinds of emergency orders. Under KRS 39A.090, any executive order that restricts in-person gatherings, limits private business operations, restricts places of worship, or imposes mandatory quarantine expires after thirty days unless the General Assembly votes to extend it before the deadline.5Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.090 – Executive Actions – Time Limit on Directives Issued by Governor That provision was added largely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other orders, such as those mobilizing resources for cleanup or activating the National Guard, can run longer than thirty days. The extension has to be requested by a local government’s chief executive or legislative body, and it applies only to that local government for the period requested.5Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.090 – Executive Actions – Time Limit on Directives Issued by Governor A statewide declaration can effectively continue in counties still in recovery while ending in areas that have moved on.
The General Assembly can also terminate any declaration of emergency at any time by joint resolution.5Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. Kentucky Code 39A.090 – Executive Actions – Time Limit on Directives Issued by Governor
Federal Aid Tied to These Declarations
State declarations often open the door to federal money. For the Louisville plane crash, FEMA’s Emergency Declaration 3633-EM-KY covers emergency protective measures statewide at a 75/25 federal-state cost split.2FEMA.gov. 3633-EM-KY Initial Notice FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses state and local governments for debris removal, emergency protective actions, and restoring public infrastructure like roads, bridges, and utilities. Eligible costs include labor, equipment, materials, and contract work, all of which must be documented and directly tied to the disaster.6FEMA.gov. Assistance for Governments and Private Non-Profits After a Disaster
If you were personally affected, FEMA’s Individual Assistance program can cover temporary housing, home repairs, and other uninsured losses. One thing that catches people off guard: FEMA cannot duplicate insurance. If your policy covers a loss, FEMA will not pay for the same thing, and you have to disclose all insurance coverage when you apply.7FEMA.gov. Eligibility Criteria for FEMA Assistance
Checking the Current Status
Kentucky’s emergency status changes frequently, so verify before relying on any specific declaration. The Governor’s website at governor.ky.gov posts executive orders as numbered, dated PDF documents, and the Secretary of State’s office maintains a searchable archive. For federal declarations, fema.gov/disaster/declarations lets you filter by state and year to see what is currently open. Kentucky Emergency Management at kyem.ky.gov posts response updates, though it is less useful for tracking the legal status of specific orders.