Funding has been appropriated to reopen the northern Kentucky office of the State Medical Examiner, Gov. Andy Beshear announced.

The funding was made possible through a bipartisan bill passed by the General Assembly on March 30 and signed into law, Beshear said Tuesday in a statement. It provided $1.8 million in one-time funds for fiscal year 2022 and more than $1.5 million in continuation funds.

The northern Kentucky medical examiner’s office has been closed since March 2018. The closure sent cases from the region to offices throughout the state that were already overloaded.

Sen. Chris McDaniel of Taylor Mill said the closure was causing problems and led the effort to reopen the office.

“This means that we can process more cases with quicker turnaround, which will help Kentuckians take important next steps in their time of grief and loss,” said Chief Medical Examiner Dr. William Ralston.