Legislative Update from Rep. Iler — March 26, 2025
Last week at the North Carolina General Assembly saw a vote on the most important bill of the 2025 session so far. Over the last three weeks there have been many committee meetings, as well many local and technical bills coming through the processes in the House and Senate.
House Bill 47 – Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part I Provides over $500 million to the hurricane relief efforts, primarily for Hurricane Helene. This brings the total relief funds to approximately $2 billion when added to the amounts appropriated in September – December of 2024. Various state departments received funds, including Emergency Management, Commerce, Education, DOT, and others. The bill had been through several committees and finally went to conference to resolve differences. The conference report hit the House and Senate floors for a vote on Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th, respectively. It passed 115 – 1 in the House and 50 – 0 in the Senate, and was quickly signed by the Governor, becoming law last Thursday.
Other bills passed in the House last week included gun violence prevention, autism designation on drivers’ licenses, increase in firefighters’ benefits, and establishing November as Military Appreciation month. I co-sponsored all but one of these bills, and they passed the House unanimously or almost unanimously. Light-hearted moments occurred when the Winston-Salem delegation brought bills making the Moravian cookie the state cookie and the Moravian star the state star. They also passed unanimously. These bills went to the Senate for their approval.
Many more bills were being filed last week, as we have a deadline of April 3rd to file regular statewide bills. I was primary sponsor of House Bill 394 – Distracted Driving/ Children & Animals which is supposed to prevent the driver from holding animals in their laps while operating the vehicle. House Bill 441 – Loggerhead Turtle/ State Saltwater Reptile is filed for the third session. House Bill 442 – Restore Flounder/Red Snapper Season is for a reasonable season for our recreational fishermen. I am also the second primary on House Bill 444- Homeowners Association Reform Bill.
It was a pleasure greeting visitors from back home, particularly Brunswick Community College President Smith and Board of Trustees members for lunch on Wednesday. We were able to speak briefly with the House Speaker and the top Appropriations Committee Chairman.
This week we expect many more committee meetings and bill filings.