Legislation passed in North Carolina prohibits discrimination based on political affiliation or speech when rendering emergency aid.Â
H.B. 251 includes a provision stating that no applicant for state emergency assistance grants needs to provide personal demographic information unless necessary to award the grant or required by law.
“This legislation was prompted by reports of discrimination by FEMA based on political speech following Hurricane Helene,” said Republican State Rep. Kelly Hastings. “We want to send a clear message about protecting political speech, which is highly safeguarded under the Constitution.”
FEMA faced criticism for allegedly instructing workers to avoid homes with Trump signs after Hurricane Milton. The bill passed the House with a vote of 106-10, with all 10 no votes coming from Democrats.
Former FEMA supervisor Marn’i Washington, who was fired for her actions, claimed she was following orders from her superiors to avoid political encounters. Washington insisted that Florida teams were already avoiding homes of Trump voters before her involvement.
The Biden administration approved over $860 million in aid after Helene, including $507 million for individuals and communities and $351.5 million for debris removal. The bill will now advance to the Senate for consideration.
