RALEIGH — Both chambers of the legislature have now passed the conference committee version of the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 and Governor Josh Stein has signed it into law.
On Wednesday, the Senate passed the bill unanimously. The House passed the bill the day prior by a nearly unanimous vote, with the lone vote against coming from Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford).
House Bill 47 was sent to a conference committee on March 11 after the House failed to concur with the Senate’s changes. During that floor vote, Helene Committee Co-Chair Rep. Dudley Greene (R-Avery) said he felt some of the changes “needed a little more discussion.” Specific items identified for further discussion included changes to building code provisions, soil and water funding for land remediation, business grants for small businesses and forgivable loans for local governments.
“This legislation will bring much-needed relief to Western North Carolina while finally bringing to a close the scandalous rebuilding failures in the Eastern part of our state,” House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) said in a press release. “The Cooper and Biden administrations neglected North Carolinians, leaving communities to suffer due to mismanagement and broken promises. It is time to pass this legislation and deliver the aid and accountability that our citizens expect and deserve.”
One major change in the bill is the requirement for the governor to share all disaster relief funds allocated to Hurricane Helene recovery that have been disbursed on a weekly basis with the state auditor. Failure to comply with reporting to the auditor will trigger a legislative inquiry. The governor’s office is directed to commence reporting that information “no later than seven business days” after the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 is signed into law.
Including House Bill 47, the General Assembly has allocated more than $1.4 billion to Helene recovery. The current measure contains $524 million for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts, which is up slightly from the first version of the bill.
Top spending items include:
- $200 million to Helene-specific crop-loss and farm restoration
- $120 million for rebuilding and repairing homes
- $100 million for repairing private roads and bridges
- $55 million for small business infrastructure grants
- $20 million to remove millions of cubic yards of debris
- $10 million to support essential volunteer organizations
- $10 million for volunteer fire departments
- $9 million for learning recovery for students in Helene-affected counties
- $4 million for travel and tourism marketing
Additionally, $110 million in assistance for farmers with crop losses unrelated to Hurricane Helene is included in the bill.
Helene Select Committee Co-Chairs Reps. John Bell (R-Wayne) and Greene also praised the final bill.
“We are proud to have worked alongside the Senate to craft and approve this vital relief legislation that continues Western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene,” Greene said.
The bill contains non-Helene recovery items, such as $217 million to finish home rebuilding operations in the eastern half of the state that are still unfinished under former Governor Roy Cooper’s Office of Recovery and Resilience (NCORR). A close-out schedule for NCORR’s projects, as well as weekly reporting to the General Assembly, are requirements tied to the funding.
“This bill marks another important step forward for the people of Western North Carolina. It allocates essential funding for home construction, farmer support, small business relief, and educational assistance,” said Bell. “Additionally, it ensures that hurricane victims in Eastern North Carolina can return to their homes after years of neglect under former Gov. Cooper’s administration.”
“After years of delays and mismanagement, House Bill 47 delivers for the people of Eastern North Carolina,” said House Majority Leader Rep. Brenden Jones (R-Columbus). “With $217 million allocated to complete long-overdue home rebuilds, families who have waited far too long will finally get the relief they deserve. With strict oversight to ensure every dollar is used properly—we are finishing the job once and for all.”
