North Carolina HB 47: Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 - Part I.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-2
HOUSE BILL 47

*H47-v-7*
AN ACT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS AND EXTEND REGULATORY
FLEXIBILITY FOR COMMUNITIES AND CITIZENS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE
HELENE.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. TITLE AND SCOPE OF ACT
SECTION 1.1. Title. – This act shall be known as "The Disaster Recovery Act of
2025 – Part I."
SECTION 1.2. Maximum Amounts; Effectuate Savings. – The appropriations and
allocations made in this act are for maximum amounts necessary to implement this act. Savings
shall be effected where the total amounts appropriated or allocated are not required to implement
this act.
SECTION 1.3. Scope. – Unless otherwise provided, Part II of this act applies to the
North Carolina counties in the affected area, as defined in Section 1.4 of this act.
SECTION 1.4. Definitions. – Unless otherwise provided, the following definitions
apply in this act:
(1) Affected area. – The counties designated before, on, or after the effective date
of this act under a major disaster declaration by the President of the United
States under the Stafford Act (P.L. 93-288) as a result of Hurricane Helene.
(2) CDBG-DR. – Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery.
(3) Disaster Relief Reserve. – The OSBM Disaster Relief Reserve (Budget Code
23009).
(4) FEMA. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(5) Helene Fund. – The Hurricane Helene Disaster Recovery Fund established in
Section 4.1 of S.L. 2024-51.
(6) NCEM. – The Division of Emergency Management of the Department of
Public Safety.
(7) NCORR. – The Department of Public Safety, Office of Recovery and
Resiliency.
(8) OSBM. – The Office of State Budget and Management.
(9) SERDRF. – The State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund
established in G.S. 166A-19.42.

PART II. HURRICANE HELENE DISASTER RECOVERY APPROPRIATIONS AND
PROGRAMS

SUBPART II-A. DISASTER RECOVERY APPROPRIATION, TRANSFER, AND
PROGRAMS
SECTION 2A.1. Transfer. – The State Controller shall transfer the sum of two
hundred ninety-nine million dollars ($299,000,000) from the SERDRF to the Helene Fund.

Page 2 Session Law 2025-2 House Bill 47
SECTION 2A.2. Appropriation. – There is appropriated from the Helene Fund the
sum of five hundred twenty-four million dollars ($524,000,000) in nonrecurring funds as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding G.S. 143B-1040(c), one hundred twenty million dollars
($120,000,000) to the Department of Commerce, Division of Community
Revitalization (DCR), for the Home Reconstruction and Repair Program
(Program). The Program shall be CDBG-DR compliant and consistent with
the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Universal
Notice in 90 FR 1754, as amended, to ensure maximum reimbursement from
federal funds when those funds become available. DCR shall report to the
Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee, the Joint
Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, and the Fiscal
Research Division by March 31, 2025, on how the Program will be set up prior
to accepting applications.
(2) Two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000) to the Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services for the Agricultural Disaster Crop Loss Program as
created in Subpart II-D of this act.
(3) One hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) to NCEM for the Private Road
and Bridges Repair and Replacement Program in accordance with Subpart
II-C of this act.
(4) Fifty-five million dollars ($55,000,000) for the Small Business Infrastructure
Grant Program in accordance with Subpart II-F of this act.
(5) Twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to OSBM to distribute to State agencies
and units of local government for debris and sedimentation removal unmet
needs. NCEM shall assist OSBM in coordinating the debris removal with
relevant State agencies and local stakeholders. OSBM shall prioritize using
these funds to address identified gaps in debris cleanup not met by other
federal and State programs.
(6) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) to the Office of the State Fire Marshal to
disburse grants to small and volunteer fire departments in counties in the
affected area that qualify for Individual and Public Assistance Categories C-G
to cover expenses incurred due to Hurricane Helene, to purchase equipment,
or to make capital improvements to assist with readiness for future emergency
response. A grant under this subdivision shall not exceed five hundred
thousand dollars ($500,000). The Office of the State Fire Marshal may use up
to two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) of the funds appropriated in
this subdivision for administrative costs related to disbursing these grants.
(7) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) to NCEM to disburse grants to any member
organization of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (VOADs) actively
involved in actual and ongoing repair and reconstruction projects.
(8) Four million dollars ($4,000,000) to the Department of Commerce for the
nonprofit corporation