RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s state lawmakers return to Raleigh for a one-day session on Oct. 9, and leaders say they will vote on an initial relief package for communities affected by Tropical Storm Helene.

Top Republicans, who control the legislature, put out a joint statement on Friday. Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said they are “preparing to come back next week to vote on an initial disaster relief package.”

“Over the past week, we’ve heard directly from residents in Western North Carolina and have seen the devastation firsthand. Our hearts are broken for the communities that have been ravaged by Hurricane Helene. Despite the destruction, it has been incredible to see how North Carolinians have stepped up to help. We cannot let up on those efforts or forget about the small communities that have been effectively closed off because of this storm,” Berger and Moore wrote.

“The General Assembly is preparing to come back next week to vote on an initial disaster relief package to facilitate the state’s response to Hurricane Helene. We are still working to determine what needs to be included in that legislation. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the victims of this storm and those who have lost loved ones, as well as the aid workers, volunteers, and rescue teams supporting the region,” they said.

The General Assembly also has a weeklong session in November, and could also hold a special session. Lawmakers may wait until more information is known about what the exact needs are for communities in crisis for the next round of relief.

Money from the federal government is already on the way, with the White House reporting more than $17 million in housing and other assistance for more than 10,000 households in North Carolina. Individuals and families can apply for FEMA assistance, and access other resources, at fema.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.

In the meantime, at the state level, the Department of Public Instruction has announced what it definitely needs, and the Board of Elections has concerns, too. Here’s where things stand with what lawmakers and agencies are considering.

General Assembly ‘stands ready’

Berger said earlier this week, “It will take time to know the full catastrophic nature of this storm, but the General Assembly stands ready to take the necessary steps to help our neighbors in Western North Carolina.”

Legislative leadership, particularly in the Senate, prioritizes its “rainy day” fund in annual budget discussions. No amount of spending has been announced.

Senate Democratic Leader Dan Blue, of Wake County, said Senate Democrats “look forward to working with Senate Leader Phil Berger and our Republican colleagues to ensure these reserve funds are allocated in a way that will restore stability in our communities as soon as possible.”

Possible special session to deal with Helene relief

House Democratic Leader Robert Reives, of Chatham County, has floated the idea of having a special legislative session to deal with Helene.

“House Democrats are thinking of and praying for the residents affected by Hurricane Helene, especially in Western North Carolina but also in Eastern North Carolina where a tornado tore through Rocky Mount. We are committed to doing whatever it takes to help rebuild the region over the long term,” he said in a statement. Reives said it will take time to plan for “long-term recovery.”

“House Democrats have begun working on a package of relief measures and look forward to working with our Republican colleagues and the Governor’s team to help get it done. We stand ready to do this work in one of our regularly scheduled sessions or during a special session — whatever is necessary,” Reives said.

Department of Public Instruction request

N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said what people “are seeing and hearing in WNC is heart breaking,” and that after talking to school and school district leaders in Western North Carolina, her agency already has a list of requests for lawmakers.

That request, which Truitt shared on social media and at a meeting this week, includes about $166 million.

The funding request includes $150 million for building repairs and renovations, school nutrition, equipment, supplies and technology losses. The DPI request notes the amount is “a preliminary figure based on amounts appropriated during Hurricane Florence and estimates based on current needs.”

DPI is also requesting up to $16 million for school nutrition staff who were employed for scheduled instructional days that were missed due to Helene. And the agency is requesting school calendar flexibility for impacted school districts.

Elections request

The State Board of Elections is considering a variety of legislative requests to address Helene’s potential impact on voting. Extra funding for counties hit hard by the storm could be a key part of the request, as well as changes to deadlines for receiving absentee ballots.

“We’re still early in our conversations with the legislature,” Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the board told reporters on Tuesday. “...We want to be able to give them a very educated request and not just (be) haphazard in what we’re asking for.”

Though the board is still working with county election officials to determine the extent of the damage, Brinson Bell said funding may be needed to help counties pay to reissue ballots lost in the storm or hire on-site assistance for other election tasks. Getting absentee ballots in by the deadline, 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, could be another concern, given that postal service is still disrupted in many western counties and many ballots were likely delivered right before the storm hit.

With about a month left until the election, Brinson Bell said the board may need to consider asking the legislature to extend the deadline for receiving absentee ballots — an issue that has been a point of contention in the past. In previous elections, the state accepted absentee ballots within three days of the election, so long as they were postmarked by Election Day. However, last year, Republican lawmakers passed a bill eliminating this deadline over the objections of their Democratic colleagues and voting rights activists.

Short of asking for a deadline extension, Brinson Bell said there were other steps the legislature could take to help voters affected by Helene get their absentee ballots in on time. One of those changes could be allowing voters to drop off their absentee ballots in-person on Election Day — not just during early voting.

“That’s the kind of thing we’re weighing right now,” she said.

UNC System request ‘at some point’

The UNC System is still assessing what it might need.

“The UNC System will certainly request relief funds at some point, but it’s too soon to evaluate costs when the region is focused on life, safety and health. We also support the state and congressional delegation who are advocating for federal support in North Carolina,” UNC System spokesperson Andy Wallace told The N&O.

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(Higher education reporter Korie Dean contributed.)

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