North Carolina legislators have approved an initial $273 million relief package to aid in the recovery from Hurricane Helene. The legislation, which was unanimously approved in both the House and Senate, comes after catastrophic flooding in the North Carolina mountains caused by historic rainfall from the storm. Over half of the confirmed Helene-related deaths in Southeastern states occurred in North Carolina, making it a priority state for relief efforts. Tens of thousands of electricity customers are still without power, and some residents are lacking running water in the aftermath of the storm.
Republican lawmakers emphasized that this initial relief package is just a down payment, with more legislation and funds expected to follow soon. They acknowledged that the recovery efforts will take months and years to complete but expressed confidence in their ability to get the job done. The majority of the funds in the bill will go towards state agencies to meet the federal government’s match for state and local disaster assistance programs. The governor is expected to sign the legislation and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the legislature in passing the bill.
The relief package includes provisions to ensure that teachers and cafeteria workers in public schools affected by the storm will still receive pay. Fees for replacing lost driver’s licenses and identification cards are being waived, along with some highway repair and open storm debris burn permitting requirements. The bill also contains changes to election procedures to accommodate voting in the affected areas. This includes allowing voters in certain counties to request an absentee ballot in person up until the day before Election Day and offering more drop-off locations for those ballots.
The storm’s flooding has severely damaged some voting sites, necessitating replacements and changes in the voting process. Early in-person voting is still scheduled to begin on October 17, and the legislation aims to ensure that displaced voters in the affected counties have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election. Both Republican and Democratic legislators from the affected regions spoke about the devastation they have witnessed and the need for assistance. They emphasized the bipartisan effort to address the challenges faced by their constituents and expressed gratitude for the help they have received.
Overall, the changes in the election procedures are seen as crucial to ensuring that all eligible voters have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming election, despite the challenges posed by the storm. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign has also weighed in on the issue, advocating for changes to accommodate displaced voters. However, the majority of the proposed changes are already included in the legislation. The focus is on providing necessary assistance to the impacted communities and ensuring that they have the support they need to recover and rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
