Republicans fast-track bill marginally addressing Hurricane Helene, greatly reducing powers of incoming Democrats

GOP lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a 131-page bill that sets aside $227 million for additional Hurricane Helene relief and substantially reduces the power of a number of incoming state leaders.

North Carolina state Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Republican who represents Forsyth County, attends a legislative session on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023.

North Carolina Republicans on Tuesday fast-tracked a 131-page bill that shuffles around $227 million from the state’s rainy day fund to the hurricane relief fund. But that money won’t go out the door until a future session.

The proposal includes $50 million in support for homeowner recovery projects under the Rebuild NC program, which has testified it is running out of money for rebuilding areas impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

It also provides nearly $33.8 million to extend grants aimed at preventing childcare centers from closing.

“What you will see in this bill is come continuation of the disaster relief efforts, but it is only a step,” said Republican state Rep. Donny Lambeth of Forsyth County. “We are drinking from the fire hose as they say. We have so many requests.”

The measure cleared the House by a vote of 63-46 late Tuesday. During a floor debate, House Democratic Leader Robert Reives called the bill “the biggest abuse I have seen since I’ve been here.”

While Senate Bill 382 is branded as a third wave of relief for the people of western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene, the vast majority of it has nothing to do with the hurricane. In a rare break with their party, three House Republicans from western North Carolina— Mike Clampitt, Karl Gillespie and Mark Pless— voted against the measure. No House Democrat supported the bill.

The bill does little for hurricane relief. Instead, it lays out a string of election law changes and aims to entrench the GOP’s power before it loses its supermajority at the end of the year.