General Assembly Passes Legislation Appropriating $700 Million For Helene Recovery
Yesterday, the North Carolina Senate passed House Bill 1012, after the legislation cleared the House. The legislation now heads to Governor Stein’s desk where it will likely signed into law. The legislation appropriates $700 million in funding for Helene Recovery Fund bringing the state’s total Helene recovery spending up to $2.1 billion. From the Recovery Fund, the compromise appropriates $500 million toward recovery programs and nearly $300 million within the Department of Transportation budget for recovery needs.
Here are some of the key items funded in the compromise legislation:
$70 million for local government capital repairs
$51.5 million in additional funding for the local government cash-flow loan program
$5 million to support tourism efforts
$25 million to help farmers in the impacted area with farm infrastructure losses
$75 million for construction and reimbursement of privately owned roads and bridges
$64.3 million for the repair and reconstruction of damaged schools
$18 million for fire stations and rescue squads in Western North Carolina
$15 million for the North Carolina Forest Service for wildfire assets and preparedness
$12.25 million through the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to repair damaged state park facilities and expedite reopening
$15 million to the Selectsite fund to support economic development in the impacted area
What’s Next:The House and Senate have not put forward a compromised budget despite optimism at the beginning of wrapping up the long session in June. Both chambers came together to prioritize Helene recovery funding, and this move separates these funding priorities from the rest of the budget discussion.
