Legislative Update from Rep. Iler — February 11, 2025

          Last week at the North Carolina General Assembly was active for most members, getting our bills prepared to file, scheduling committee meetings, and discussing the important disaster appropriations bill.  The hard-working research staff, bill drafters, and other staffers were working long and busy hours as we requested bills and scheduled committee meetings.

     Early in the week, I was able to stay in the county for meetings, a coffee with one of our very active mayors, and the Grand Strand Area Transportation Study (GSATS), the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for our area in southeastern Brunswick County.  This federally designated group includes Horry and Georgetown Counties, as well as the southeastern corner of our county.  They get updates on projects in our area and have discussion and vote on priorities. 

     After attending these meetings in the district, I headed to Raleigh for several meetings.  As usual, we had many lobbyists stop by the office.  We had a scheduled mid-day meeting with the Appropriations Committee on Transportation Chairs from both the House and Senate.  We jointly planned the schedule for multiple meetings the next few weeks to discuss the NCDOT budget.  (Most people do not realize that the department is responsible for not only state and federal highways, but also rail, airports, ferries, ports, bicycle/pedestrian, and other infrastructure.)

     Wednesday afternoon the House Select Committee on Helene Recovery met to discuss House Bill 47 – Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part I.  I am a member of this committee.  We heard the breakdown of appropriations totaling $500 million to the Helene recovery funds from the reserves known as the “Rainy Day Fund”.  The various funded needs in the bill include: home reconstruction and repair; agriculture restoration projects; repair of state facilities, including state parks and prisons; debris removal; volunteer fire departments; and volunteer organizations.  We will be meeting on Tuesday of this week to finish discussing the bill and vote it out of committee.

       Along with our exceptional staff of researchers and bill drafters, I am finalizing several bills of both local and statewide interest.  We anticipate that the weeks from now until late June will include many more days and nights of committee meetings and voting sessions at your state legislature.