The Legislature convened a one-day session this week to pass its second bill funding storm recovery in Western North Carolina and to offer additional early voting sites in two counties impacted by Hurricane Helene.
Before the session, Gov. Roy Cooper said his administration estimates the recovery will require about $4 billion in state funding. Lawmakers on Thursday unanimously approved a bill adding $604 million (S743, Disaster Recovery Act of 2024, Part II) to the $273 million they appropriated last month.
Cooper signed it this morning, urging the General Assembly to "follow it with a more comprehensive package to help families, businesses and communities build back stronger."
S132, Early Voting Sites/Helene Counties, also won approval. North Carolina's early voting is already near the midway point, and elections officials indicated that most of the affected counties are already meeting the thresholds set in the legislation. Only Henderson and McDowell counties will need to add additional sites by Oct. 29. Early voting ends on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The House initially planned to consider veto override votes on H10, Require ICE Cooperation and Budget Adjustments, and S445, Recording of Court-Filed Documents. Both were bumped to the calendar for the Nov. 19 post-election session.