Bill
HB 313
One-time $88,395,000 General Fund grant to Madison County (via OSBM) to repair/replace Hurricane Helene–damaged infrastructure and facilities, speeding recovery.
Status & Sponsor
- Introduced by Rep. Pless (House Bill 313). Filed Mar 5, 2025. Passed first reading and referred to Appropriations (House).
- Effective date specified in the bill: July 1, 2025.
- Type: One-time (nonrecurring) state appropriation.
Purpose / Intent
- To provide targeted, nonrecurring state funding to Madison County, NC, to repair and replace public infrastructure and facilities damaged by Hurricane Helene. The appropriation is delivered as a directed grant administered through the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM).
Key provisions / dollar allocations
- Total appropriation: $88,395,000 from the General Fund to OSBM for the 2025–2026 fiscal year (nonrecurring). Funds must be provided to Madison County as a directed grant and used for the following purposes:
1. $25,000,000 — Repairs at the Marshall Wastewater Treatment Plant
2. $6,000,000 — Repairs to Marshall Town Hall
3. $1,600,000 — Rebuild Marshall Housing Authority Apartments
4. $1,500,000 — Repairs to Marshall Volunteer Fire Department
5. $400,000 — Repairs to Hot Springs Town Hall
6. $12,000,000 — Construct new facility for Hot Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant
7. $600,000 — Repairs to Hot Springs Community Center
8. $270,000 — Repairs to Hot Springs Library
9. $3,000,000 — Temporary relocation of Town departments housed in the Sprinkle Shelton Building
10. $400,000 — Repairs to Barnard Park
11. $225,000 — Repairs to Hot Springs Housing Authority Wastewater Treatment Facility
12. $25,000,000 — Repairs to French Broad River, Ivy River, and additional county tributaries and waterways (including debris removal)
13. $400,000 — Repairs to County Communications Tower at Duckett Top
14. $900,000 — Complete upgrades to NC Emergency Communication Towers
15. $6,200,000 — Assistance for design/build of an E‑911 and Emergency Operations Facility
16. $4,900,000 — Assistance for design/build of an ambulance and medical personnel facility in the Town of Marshall
Who is affected
- Primary beneficiaries: Madison County residents and local governments—towns of Marshall and Hot Springs; public utilities (wastewater treatment plants), emergency services (fire, ambulance, E‑911), public buildings (town halls, library, community center), park facilities, and housing authority properties.
- State impact: one-time reduction in available General Fund resources totaling $88.395 million for FY 2025–2026.
Implementation & timeline
- Funds are nonrecurring and allocated for use in the 2025–2026 fiscal year. OSBM is the receiving agency and will direct the grant to Madison County for the listed projects. The bill’s effective date is July 1, 2025.
Potential policy/administrative notes
- The appropriation is narrowly directed to specified projects (not a general relief fund). The bill does not detail grant conditions, matching requirements, or reporting/oversight mechanisms beyond OSBM’s role; implementation specifics (timing of disbursements, procurement, project supervision) will depend on OSBM and county administration.
- The funding is intended to accelerate recovery, restore critical services and infrastructure, and support public safety and environmental debris removal after the hurricane.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
Sign in to ask a question.
