NC lawmakers allocate $273 million for Helene recovery
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North Carolina lawmakers signed off on legislation Wednesday that allocates $273 million — pulled from the state's rainy day fund — to help the state recover from Hurricane Helene.
Why it matters: It's been nearly two weeks since Helene ravaged western North Carolina, and many in the region remain without power, water, cell service and internet. Some communities are still searching for bodies and rescuing people from their homes.
Driving the news: The legislation is just the first step in the long road to recovery, lawmakers said.
- In addition to allocating hundreds of millions to state agencies, the legislation also makes some temporary changes to state law to accommodate those impacted by the storm.
- The bill received bipartisan support.
By the numbers: Of the $273 million allocated to the recovery fund, $5 million will go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections for the resources it needs to administer the election in the storm's aftermath.
- $16 million will go to the Department of Public Instruction to supplement or replace school nutrition employee compensation.
- $2 million will be funneled to grants for the N.C. Association of Regional Councils of Government, the N.C. League of Municipalities and the N.C. Association of County Commissioners to assist affected counties.
The bill also makes numerous election, education, transportation, health and other policy changes, including:
- Granting schools with calendar flexibility and additional remote instruction days and allowing teachers and other school employees to be paid for days missed due to Helene.
- Expanding the State Board of Elections' newly passed emergency rules to 25 counties — up from just 13 counties.
- Allowing the Golden LEAF Foundation to extend small business loans for those impacted by the storm to 180 months.
- Allowing local governments to use already-appropriated funds to address disaster-related damage or preserve or restore drinking water and wastewater services.
Between the lines: Wednesday also marked the first day many North Carolina lawmakers who represent mountain communities — and whose own families and homes were impacted by the storm — have left the region. Many spoke of their own experiences in Helene's aftermath.
- "This is by far the most devastating thing I've ever experienced as a community," said Sen. Ralph Hise of Spruce Pine.
- Hise was part of a crew going door-to-door looking for bodies in the days after the storm. Now, the county is airlifting cadaver dogs to parts of Mitchell County that are unreachable.
- By the end of this week, he said, "we hope to have touched every rooftop in the county."