A newly filed bill could consolidate disaster relief and mitigation in North Carolina into a single agency, if passed by the state Legislature.
Raleigh Republican Rep. John Bell filed the measure (HB 907), which would create the NC Recovery and Resiliency Act establishing the North Carolina Commission for Preparedness and Recovery.
The bill’s analysis notes the measure would ensure effective preparation and disaster relief delivered in the wake of a natural disaster.
In recent years, North Carolina has experienced devastating storms, including Hurricane Helene, which brought a deluge of flooding to western parts of the state in 2024, devastation from which it is still trying to recover.
Bell said in an interview with WRAL News the proposal may still undergo some fine-tuning.
“We’re open to conversation,” Bell said. “We know how important this is, not just for my folks in eastern North Carolina. For western North Carolina. And now my friends in Alamance County and central North Carolina have experienced storms. So, we just want to make sure we get it right.”
Currently, various relief and disaster preparedness programs are housed within different agencies, such as the Departments of Commerce, Public Safety, Agriculture and Consumer Services, and Environmental Quality.
If the bill is passed, the newly formed Commission would provide general disaster recovery coordination, including public information, citizen outreach, and application management. It would further be responsible for audit, finance, compliance, and disaster reporting of recovery efforts.
The commission would also execute recovery and resiliency projects, administering funds through government entities, including grant programs and funding from third party sources.
The governing board would be composed of 13 members, seven appointed by the Governor, three appointed with a recommendation from the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and three upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Disaster Readiness, Recovery, and Resiliency Fund would be established in the Office of the State Treasurer, which would only be authorized to be used in relation to relief assistance programs including mitigation buyouts, relocations, and buyout assistance for homes.
The funds could also be used to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners to lower flood risks through insurance, and mitigation projects.
If passed, the bill would take effect October 2026.
