North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has signed a $1 billion coronavirus relief bill into law.
The North Carolina legislature recently finalized the plan to spend $1.1 billion of the state’s remaining COVID-19 relief funds from the federal government. Lawmakers voted 104-10 in-favor of the package, which includes direct cash payments of $335 to 2 million families with school-age children.
The purpose of the payments are to help families with qualifying children in North Carolina by providing economic support to assist with virtual schooling and child-care costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $335 payments would be distributed by Dec. 15. Money is also being spent on a $50 increase in weekly unemployment benefits lasting until Dec. 31, along with more funds for testing, tracing, personal protective equipment (PPE) and assistance with polling sites.
Republican leaders refused to take up Cooper’s proposal to spend an additional $559 million in resources for public school teachers. Which translated into a $2,000 bonus to public school teachers and smaller one-time payments to other educators. The GOP said it was risky spending more state dollars as the COVID-19 pandemic continued.
An additional $68 million in state money was secured to help with recent natural disasters.