House amendment to the 2nd edition makes the following changes.

Section 2.2

Decreases the amount allocated to the Department of Commerce (DOC), Division of Community Revitalization for the Home Reconstruction and Repair Program by $15 million, from $140 million to $125 million.   

Allocates $15 million to Golden L.E.A.F. (Long-Term Economic Advancement Foundation), Inc. (Golden LEAF), a nonprofit corporation, to be allocated to nonprofit organizations located in the affected area. Requires a nonprofit organization receiving a grant from Golden LEAF to use those funds to provide grants for small business revitalization or other disaster recovery efforts. Requires Golden LEAF to prioritize nonprofit organizations with demonstrated expertise in small business revitalization. Limits subgrants made by a nonprofit organization to $50,000. Makes a clarifying change to who can receive a grant from NCEM.

Section 2.3

Expands the additional permitted uses of funds under the Private Road and Bridge Repair Program to include program costs incurred for the engineering, design, and construction of private roads and bridges, and funding to nonprofit organizations supporting bridge repairs.

Section 2.4

Revises the provisions pertaining to required refunds of awards under the Agricultural Crop Loss Program so that the refund provisions are also triggered if a person received financial assistance for which they were ineligible (was, only that the amount of the financial assistance received is based on inaccurate information). States that should a triggering event occur, the recipient forfeits the assistance awarded and that it bears interest at the statutory rate set forth in GS 105-241.21 until repaid.  Now requires for forfeited financial assistance that is not repaid to be recouped through a civil action by the Attorney General at the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture (was, collection by Department of Revenue).

Section 2.5

Changes the definition of small business in the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program to mean a business that employees 150 or fewer employees (was, 50 or fewer employees).

Section 4.1

Changes the start date for OBSM’s allocation reporting requirements to April 1, 2025 (was, May 15, 2025) and the frequency of those reports from quarterly to monthly. Increases the number of NCGA committees that receive the report. 

Section 5.6

Allows the Department of the State Treasurer (Department) to forgive the remaining balance of any cashflow loan made to local governments under the cashflow loan program (Section 4E.5 of SL 2024-53, as amended) if three listed conditions are met, including proof by documentation that the local government has used the funds for disaster relief and applied for all other relevant disaster relief fundings sources, including insurance and federal aid. Makes conforming changes.  

Section 5.7

Directs that in administering aid to the Public Libraries Fund in the affected area, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources  cannot reduce a grant to a local library system based on reductions in local funding for the system imposed by the governing body of a unit of  local  government  when  the  reduction  is  imposed  as  part  of  a  general  budget  reduction reflecting negative impacts on local economic or fiscal conditions caused by Hurricane Helene. Expires on July 1 of the fiscal year that follows the date of expiration of the statewide declaration of emergency issued by the Governor in Executive Order 315, concurred to by the Council of State, and extended pursuant to SL 2024-51 or any other enactment of a general law.

Section 5.8

Allows reconstruction or repair of a nonconforming residential structure in the affected area when all of six listed criteria are met, including that the structure serve the same or similar residential use, there are no alternatives for replacing the structure to provide the same or similar benefits to the owner in compliance with current law, and that the structure will be rebuilt to comply with a local government’s current development regulations to the maximum extent possible. Defines development regulation. Expires June 30, 2030.