NC spends $1.7B more in COVID relief. Here’s what’s in the bill Cooper just signed
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law Thursday $1.7 billion in COVID-19 relief for the state, in the second spending bill this year as the state allocates billions in federal money.
Cooper said in an emailed statement:
“While I will ask legislators to revisit some areas of this legislation, including changes necessary to quickly deliver rental assistance, these funds will bring needed relief for people who are struggling, schools and small businesses as we strive to emerge from this pandemic,” Cooper said.
The General Assembly also passed two coronavirus relief packages in 2020, and a third earlier this year. The most recent bill included $1.6 billion to help schools reopen. The governor and legislature reached a deal this week on a new bill to reopen schools, which they announced together on Wednesday. Cooper said he supports that bill, which was sent to his desk on Thursday.
This latest funding package spends another $1.7 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds. Again, some of the money goes to schools, including to help with a summer learning program for students who need it after many spent months in remote instruction.
The bill was fast-tracked over just a few days in the General Assembly. Rep. Donny Lambeth, a Winston-Salem Republican, said during a floor debate that the sooner lawmakers passed the bill, the sooner the money can get to those who need it.
House Appropriations Committee chairs Lambeth, Rep. Jason Saine and Rep. Dean Arp, all Republicans, said in a joint statement that the relief bill shows the legislature “is committed to delivering additional funding relief and regulatory flexibility to help North Carolinians still suffering in this crisis as soon as possible.”
The bill also caps rental assistance to counties that could slow disbursement of funds, The News & Observer previously reported.
Here are highlights of what’s in House Bill 196:
▪ $292 million for higher education emergency relief.
▪ $12 million for emergency food assistance.
▪ $5 million for older North Carolinians’ congregate and home-delivered meals.
▪ $603 million for coronavirus testing and tracing.
▪ $1 million for a study on the overall impacts of COVID-19 on public schools, students and families, including the transition to and from remote learning. The preliminary report is due in a year, then a final report in December 2022.
▪ $10 million to schools for contract services for physical and mental health support to students because of COVID-19.
▪ $10 million for school nutrition services.
▪ $10 million for school cybersecurity assessment and a statewide cybersecurity program.
▪ $12 million to Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. for a contract to help elementary reading and spelling teachers.
▪ $40 million for summer learning programs.
More money is also coming soon to North Carolina after Congress passed more relief that was just signed by President Joe Biden. The state also has a rainy day fund and is starting the budget process with $4 billion more than legislators thought they’d have after the pandemic. Sales tax revenue was still strong, and so is the state’s overall economic forecast.
Cooper’s state budget proposal is expected in the next few weeks. The state budget itself rolls out in committees later in the spring.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it on Spotify. Apple Podcasts. Stitcher. iHeartRadio. Amazon Music, Megaphone or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 4:45 PM with the headline "NC spends $1.7B more in COVID relief. Here’s what’s in the bill Cooper just signed."