(The Center Square) – Hurricane Helene relief from the North Carolina General Assembly, the fifth package adding to the more than $1.4 billion aleady appropriated, has stalled.
Sens. Ralph Hise, Brent Jackson, Warren Daniel and Kevin Corbin are teaming with Reps. Dudley Greene, Dean Arp, Karl Gillespie and Larry Strickland to bring a deal back to their respective chambers. Passed 106-0 in the House of Representatives on May 22, Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part II, known also has House Bill 1012, idled in the Senate’s Rules Committee more than two weeks before changes were implemented in the Appropriations/Base Budget Committee, two amendments were tacked on Monday, and the upper chamber by 47-0 sent it back to the House.
The House rejected the changes 111-0 Tuesday evening.
What’s agreed upon is the $70 million in state spending to earn the match with FEMA for federal funds of $685 million for water and sewer infrastructure projects.
The House’s $464 million package included $60 million for grants of up to $75,000 per business. The Senate’s $700 million plan did not include it. The House planned to pay for the package taking back money from the private research nonprofit NCInnovation; the Senate wants to appropriate $480 million of its total – meaning it goes to work now, and the remaining $220 million would be available later – and use redirected money and reserve funds.
House lawmakers put $30 million toward private road and bridge repairs; $39 million in assistance to schools and the UNC System; a $25 million agriculture infrastructure recovery program; and $20 million in local government assistance.
Respectively, senators have opted for $75 million in new spending for private road and bridge repairs; $65.1 million in assistance to schools and the UNC System; $8 million for agriculture; and $178 million in local government assistance.
