Lawmakers in the North Carolina House on Tuesday passed their version of the state’s fourth Helene relief bill, clearing the way for the Senate to weigh in.

The bill, which passed unanimously, includes $500 million in funding for Helene recovery efforts — adding to the state’s overall relief spending, which totals more than $1.1 billion.

But officials say much more is needed. State estimates put the total recovery cost at just under $60 billion, and Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has requested $19 billion in additional federal disaster aid beyond what is already expected.

His request came the same week reports surfaced of job cuts at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and potential reductions at U.S. Housing and Urban Development, two agencies that could play important roles in hurricane relief.

Rep. Dudley Greene, one of the chairs of a House Helene committee that drafted the bill, said the bill provides funding for the “most immediate needs” but that he “fully” expects this disaster bill to not be the last.

Some Democrats who voted in favor of the bill said it did not do enough. Rep. Lindsey Prather, who represents Buncombe County, said the bill includes “really good things” but the “spending is still not enough, and for many folks, it’s too late.”

Lawmakers have talked about the risk of paying for things the federal government should pay for, she said, but there are also risks to not spending the money: “Every single day in Western North Carolina, residents are making decisions about whether to stay or return or make a life somewhere else.”

The House added an amendment from Rep. John Bell, also a chair of the Helene committee, shifting $15 million to Golden LEAF to provide funding to other nonprofit organizations for work in disaster areas.

Another amendment by Democratic Rep. Marcia Morey from Durham County would have allocated an additional $50 million for school infrastructure repairs. House Speaker Destin Hall ruled the amendment out of order, saying it exceeded the $500 million cap set for the relief bill.

Morey said she respected the ruling but “I would be remiss, and I think the body is remiss in not mentioning schools. There is not $1 in here for any of the public schools.”

What’s in the bill

Included in the bill is funding for home reconstruction, rental assistance, debris removal and private road and bridge repairs. Also included are extensions of regulatory waivers and other flexibility provisions.

The bill also provides $5 million for tourism marketing in Western North Carolina and $55 million for a newly created Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program, which would provide grants to local governments to help repair infrastructure in business districts.

Businesses have been calling for aid to be provided directly to businesses via grants for months, and Democrats have pushed for similar measures.

Democratic Sen. Julie Mayfield of Buncombe County said earlier this month that some Senate Republicans — whom she declined to name — are working on a forgivable loan proposal. That proposal could be added to the House relief bill or introduced as a separate measure, she said. North Carolina’s legislature is controlled by the GOP, meaning it leads the way on what bills get passed.

The bill does not include funding for Eastern North Carolina recovery efforts.

The state program Rebuild NC, which received $778 million in federal funding to repair and replace homes damaged by hurricanes Matthew and Florence, has faced sharp criticism for its slow progress. As of December, about 1,200 homes remained incomplete, though the pace of recovery had recently picked up.

The program needs more money to finish its work. In late January, it requested an additional $217 million in state funding.

But beyond getting all the money requested, Pryor Gibson, who was named interim director of the agency under former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, told lawmakers in January that the agency “desperately” needed a dependable funding source, ideally enough to finish all projects.

“If you wait to June or July, we will not only lose our contractors, but we’re already in a free fall with key personnel in our operation,” he said.

Next steps

As for next steps, the Senate has filed its own disaster relief bill — Senate Bill 56 — but it remains a shell without spending items or policy proposals.

The chamber could either build out its own bill or, once it receives the House bill, take it up and make adjustments.

If the Senate amends the House bill, it would need to return to the House for approval. If the House concurs, the bill goes to Stein, who could sign it into law, let it become law without his signature, or veto it.

If the House does not concur, a conference committee would be appointed to reconcile differences.

Leaders of the House and Senate said earlier this month that the two chambers were already discussing the bill.

”Clearly, we need to do a separate Helene bill as soon as possible,” Senate leader Phil Berger said, “and we’ll see what they send us and whether or not it needs some additions or subtractions.”

On whether the Senate would pursue its own standalone bill, Berger said, “That remains to be seen.”

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