House unanimously approves disaster bill as special session starts

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina House of Representatives has unanimously approved a bill for disaster relief on the first day of a special legislative session requested by Gov. Pat McCrory.

The asked for $200 million from the state’s rainy day fund.

The money will go toward Hurricane Matthew disaster relief, as well as the wildfires that have impacted our state.

The bill making its way through the special session is House Bill 2, but it’s unrelated to the controversial “bathroom law” passed earlier this year. This bill is known as the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016.

According to the Office of the Speaker of the House, the bill appropriates $200 million for wildfire recovery, hurricane and tropical storm relief efforts across North Carolina:

• $37,950,000 to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for disaster-related repairs, debris removal, forest and stream restoration.
• $20,000,000 to the Housing Trust Fund to directly benefit persons and families affected by the disasters.
• $10,000,000 to the Department of Commerce for local government grants to construct, repair or replace infrastructure of utilities including water, sewer services and sidewalks.
• $10,000,000 to the Department of Environmental Quality for wastewater and solid waste cleanup, dam safety, emergency permitting and repair of drinking water systems.
• $9,000,000 to the Division of Emergency Management to provide additional support meeting short-term housing needs.
• $1,000,000 to the Department of Insurance for grants to volunteer fire departments to repair disaster-related damage not covered by federal assistance or insurance proceeds.

Gov. McCrory made a person appeal for the bill to the House Appropriations Committee this afternoon, and the full House reconvened this evening to give its approval to the measure, which now heads to the Senate.