House Bill 1105, also known as Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0 was officially passed September 3rd, 2020. This act officially allocates the rest of the CARES Act money dispersed to NC from the federal coffers.
Highlights of the Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0 include:
- $440 million to provide $335 “Extra Credit” grants to parents who are suffering from financial burdens related to K-12 school closures, with checks being issued by December 15
- $10 million to improve Internet connectivity for students learning remotely through the purchase of devices
- Additional funding for a temporary increase to unemployment insurance benefits by an extra $50 a week until the end of the year
- $25 million for the North Carolina Medical Society to allocate to independent medical practices with demonstrable financial needs related to COVID-19
- $20 million to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund to reimburse providers enrolled in Medicaid for the treatment of uninsured patients
- $34 million for COVID-19 testing and tracing
- $75 million for personal protective equipment (PPE)
- An additional $45.5 million for the Job Retention Grant program, which is aimed at helping small businesses avoid layoffs – see our Town Hall on how to qualify
- $30 million for the Department of Information Technology to use for the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (G.R.E.A.T.) Fund to improve rural broadband
- $1.5 million for the One NC Small Business Fund for fostering job creation and promoting research and technological development in response to COVID-19 among eligible businesses
- $ 1 million allocated to the Department of Commerce for economic marketing efforts by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC)
- $19.7 million to provide direct aid to museums, arts organizations, and cultural and historical attractions that have been closed since the start of the pandemic, including $2.5 million for the North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation
- Over $14 million for the innovative PPE-NC Program to leverage community colleges to produce PPE
- $5 million to the State Board of Elections to prevent and prepare for COVID-19 and recruit poll workers for the November election.
Read HB 1105 in full here.