North Carolina lawmakers send $1.4 billion Helene recovery package to governor's desk
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North Carolina lawmakers sent a nearly $1.4 billion package for Hurricane Helene recovery to the governor's desk Thursday. It's one of the last bills to make it across the finish line before lawmakers recessed for the summer.
Why it matters: The fate of additional Helene recovery funds has been in question for months, with the Republican-led House and Senate sparring over what to include in the legislation. Meanwhile, the western part of the state is still reeling from the devastation left in Helene's wake.
Driving the news: The chambers came to an agreement in the final hours of the last day of session, with both the House and Senate unanimously passing a bill that puts $700 million in new state funding toward Helene recovery efforts. It also allocates an additional nearly $700 million in federal funding to repair drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
- The bill will now go to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, who is expected to sign it. If he does, that will bring the state's Helene-related allocations to $2.1 billion.
Zoom in: The final proposal does not include $60 million for Helene business recovery grants, which the House proposed in a previous version of the legislation. Though Democrats said the legislation should have included funding for small business grants, they ultimately supported it.
- The proposal also does not include a House-proposed provision that would have clawed back $500 million in funding for NCInnovation and put it toward Helene recovery.
- It does, however, include millions in funding for repair of schools, private bridges and roads, and damaged state parks, plus funds to support tourism, farmers, fire stations and rescue squads, and wildfire preparedness.