North Carolina’s $1.7B COVID-19 spending bill awaits Cooper’s signature
(The Center Square) – The North Carolina General Assembly unanimously approved a $1.7 billion COVID-19 relief spending package Thursday.
The funding for House Bill 196 is provided through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which was passed by Congress and signed by former President Donald Trump in December. It also expands the use of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.
The measure provides about $1 billion to support the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as the state fights to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
North Carolina received a total of $4 billion in direct aid from the Consolidated Appropriations Act. Gov. Roy Cooper signed a bill in February that spent $2.2 billion of the federal aid for reopening schools, COVID-19 vaccine distribution and rental assistance.
HB 196 would allocate $600 million for COVID-19 testing, tracing and other COVID-19 prevention. The measure also would issue more than $300 million in child care and development grants to be used for cleaning and sanitation, copayment assistance and other initiatives. It would set aside $47 million for mental health grants, $11 million for substance abuse prevention and $94 million for vaccine distribution.
The measure allocates funding to support schools, colleges, farms, fisheries, small businesses, bolster mental health and substance abuse services and expand internet access.
Democrats said they were left out of the drafting of the bill, which they said should have included bonuses for child care workers, hazard pay for frontline workers and more unemployment benefits.
With more than $4 billion in the state’s reserves, Sen. Natasha Marcus, D-Mecklenburg, said North Carolina can afford to provide the additional aid.
“We have money. We should use it,” Marcus said. “It’s taxpayer money. We should help our people.”
The measure cleared the Senate, 48-0, on Thursday before being sent back to the House for concurrence on a technical amendment. The House gave the bill the final nod with a 117-0 vote.
HB 196 allows local tourism authorities to apply for federal Paycheck Protection Program loans. Any part of the loan that is not forgiven would be repaid with occupancy tax collected by the authority.
The measure also maintains relaxed regulatory requirements for notaries and courts and allows COVID-19 vaccinations to be administered in pharmacies. It also extends other COVID-19 exemptions on charter school enrollment, interest deferment for past due University of North Carolina System tuition and allows system employees to continue to use vacation and bonus leave time for COVID-19 related absences.
HB 196 extends the 5% Medicaid fee-for-service rate increases for providers from March 31 to June 30 or until the public health emergency ends.
The bill now heads to Gov. Roy Cooper for approval.
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