N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore and state Senate Leader Phil Berger have written to Governor Roy Cooper requesting he accelerate his call for a special legislative session from Tuesday, October 9, 2018 to Friday, September 28, 2018. The special session would deal with the recovery from Hurricane Florence. 

Below is the text of the letter:

 

Dear Governor Cooper:

 

We learned this morning of your request for a special legislative session to commence on October 9, 2o1B to respond to the needs of North Carolinians impacted by the ongoing devastation of Hurricane Florence.

 

In speaking to members of North Carolina's Congressional delegation and fielding concerned calls and letters from educators in the hardest-hit communities over the past several days, we believe that suffìcient cause exists for a special legislative session next week.

 

The state General Assembly has been planning for a devastating natural disaster like Hurricane Florence by storing a record savings reserve in keeping with our commitment to prepare North Carolina citizens for both the good and difficult times. Since Hurricane Matthew, we have approved three substantial state-funded aid packages to leverage federal relief dollars and support storm victims.

 

In anticipation of a substantial future federal appropriation, we intend to make an immediate down payment on Hurricane Florence relief funds. To that end, we are prepared. to act next week.

 

Further, as you know, the General Assembly must take measures to direct to the appropriate state accounts aid dollars that Congress allocates to North Carolina. Members of the Congressional delegation have indicated to us the earliest possible date for a relief package is next week. Proactively clearing potential legal and fiscal hurdles in preparation for a federal relief package will signal to our Congressional partners that North Carolina is ready to immediateþ begin the process of aid disbursal.

 

It is critical that we promptly demonstrate to the U.S. Congress that North Carolina is more than sufficiently solvent to match a signifÏcant federal aid package befitting a state devastated by two major hurricanes in less than 24 months.

 

Additionally, some North Carolina teachers from the hardest hit areas have expressed their concern that, per existing law, they may not receive compensation for the days on which their schools were closed. We should act immediately to allay such concerns and provide financial certainty to teachers, many of whom are likely burdened with the prospect of expensive home repairs.

 

We understand that your administration is still assessing needs of families and local governments facing catastrophic flooding, and we will continue to be responsive to those needs. The aforementioned issues, though, can and should be addressed immediately.

 

Given our shared priority in acting quickly to help the people we represent, we respectfully request you accelerate the date of your call to special session to Friday, September 28, 2018.

 

Phil Berger

President Pro Tempore

North Carolina Senate

 

Tim Moore

Speaker

North Carolina House of Representatives