House Committee Reviews Relief for Schools, Vaccines, Broadband, Low-Income Families and Rental Assistance
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School Reopening Requires Action to Let Districts Decide When to Return All Grades Full-Time
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Relief for N.C. Bar Owners Hammered by Economic Restrictions Approved by ABC Committee in N.C. House
The North Carolina legislature is delivering funds to its communities as soon as possible this session.
- Extension of $335 Extra Credit Grants will reach more families who did not earn enough money to file a state tax return.
- Schools can reopen safely with an additional $1.6 billion in federal funding from S.B. 36 – in addition to Republicans’ historic commitment to “hold harmless” state funding regardless of enrollment reductions.
- Emergency rent relief includes over $546 million in eligible funds and another $155 million for local governments over 200,000 people.
- Nearly $95 million will help county health departments, hospitals, and providers support vaccine distribution across North Carolina.
- Rural broadband funds are secured to increase economic and education connectivity through the legislature’s successful GREAT grant program.
Speaker Moore urged again Tuesday to allow districts to safely reopen in-person learning full-time for all grades – action needed.
- The Governor’s current executive orders do not allow middle and high schools to return for full-time in-person instruction. Urging schools to reopen further does nothing for many schools without that option.
- Speaker Moore said this week that action is needed to safely reopen North Carolina school and “the learning loss must end now.”
- Strong sources of state and federal fund are available for schools through relief bills and the legislature’s “hold harmless” budget promise.
House Bill 4 extends ABC permit waivers for businesses hurt by harsh economic restrictions passed by House committee.
- Bar owners have been disproportionately harmed by unbalanced emergency restrictions that kept them closed while others operated.
- Businesses should not have to pay permit fees to governments agencies that are prohibiting their normal operations for nearly a year.
- The state House has tried to help these businesses by giving bars more flexibility and including Council of State input on emergency restrictions, but the bills were vetoed by the Governor.
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