It now goes to the state Senate for consideration. If approved, it will be the state’s fourth round of disaster relief.
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina state lawmakers advanced their fourth round of disaster relief funding Tuesday, a $500 million package for western counties impacted by Hurricane Helene. It now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
Here’s what’s included in House Bill 47, after passing the House unanimously:
- $125 million for housing reconstruction
- $100 million for repairing private roads and bridges
- $75 million for natural restoration, like stream debris removal
- $75 million for agriculture and crop recovery
- $55 million for a small business grant program
In its first drafts, housing restoration projects had $140 million allocated. The House added an amendment from Rep. John Bell, chair of the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery, which allocated that $15 million to the Golden LEAF Foundation instead to allocate funds to nonprofits in the region.
The bill is less than half of the $1.07 billion Gov. Josh Stein requested earlier this month. The State estimates Helene caused more than $60 billion in damage.
On Monday, legislative leaders Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger and newly-appointed Speaker of the House Destin Hall spoke to the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, touching on the funding.
“It’s not enough,” Berger said of the funds that arrived so far. “Even though we have a historical high number in our rainy day fund, that’s not enough, and so we are looking for the federal government to move forward with an additional funding package.”
They said they are working to get more federal funding and that the Helene relief bill is their top priority this session.
