The North Carolina Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed the Disaster Relief Act 2024, granting $273 billion in relief funds for the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The bill covers 25 counties in WNC as well as Brunswick and New Hanover counties who were hit by PTC8, a potential tropical typhoon, on Sept. 16.
The bill will help with immediate need for assistance but will likely increase when the full extent of the damage is assessed and the assembly comes back in session on Oct. 24. Governor Roy Cooper signed the bill on Thursday, Oct.10.
The division of emergency management in the Department of Public Safety will receive $250 million to match the federal government’s donation to assist in hurricane relief. A portion of the funds will establish a revolving loan program to assist units of local government and state agencies with cash flow management while awaiting federal reimbursement.
The Department of Public Instruction will get $16 million to supplement or replace lost compensation of school nutrition employees due to school closures. Public schools in the disaster relief area have been given 20 instructional days that do not need to be made up. Counties not in the disaster area have been given 2 days of relief.
State Board of Election received $5 million to help address issues with the election. Along with financial aid, new rules will be applied to give election workers greater flexibility including adjusting training modules and allowing out-of-county residents to work in elections. Polling places can now be moved, even to a temporary structure if necessary. The affected board of elections can extend days and hours for working during early voting period. The deadline for voter registration Oct. 11 was not extended. The absentee ballots also must be returned by 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5 to be counted.
This assistance applies only to the impacted counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey. Swain and Mecklenburg who were added later are not included in this assistance.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections initially requested $2.1 million to help run elections in 13 counties where election location infrastructures, voting site accessibility and disruption in the postal service and transportation were severely disrupted by Helene.
The Office of State Budget is setting aside $2 million to provide grants for local governments, prioritizing counties with a population of less than 250,000. The funds will be used to provide grants to the North Carolina League of Municipalities, the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners and the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments to provide technical assistance with local recovery funds.
The bill provides permissions and flexibilities in using funds, getting permits or licenses. For example adult care and child care facilities licenses can be temporarily extended for 60 days until March 25, 2025. See the bill for more details.
Check WCJ previous coverage on Helene.
