Why did North Carolina Republicans weaken building regulations before Hurricane Helene? Follow the money!
Hurricane Helene
"North Carolina lawmakers erode building code for years before Helene hit"
"NC Home Builder Association donations to legislators in key positions to change code... A WBTV Investigation is shining a light on how North Carolina lawmakers and lobbyists weakened the state’s building code for years before Hurricane Helene hit. The history reveals a pattern of bills sponsored by legislators who own construction companies, supported by a political action committee that has spent more than $4 million over four years on their preferred candidates." - WBTV
Who received the political donations? Who weakened the regulations? How did that make North Carolina houses more vulnerable to storms like Hurricane Helene? Follow the money with this interactive infographic.
Lobbyists writing House Bill 488 weakening regulations
The home builders association didn't have to wait to see what was in the bill. Emails show that association lobbyists spent months writing and rewriting House Bill 488 directly with legislative staffers and the bill's chief sponsor, Republican Rep. Mark Brody of Union County.
The emails were obtained through a public records request by the Energy and Policy Institute, a utility and fossil fuel industry watchdog group, which shared them with WFAE. Itai Vardi is the institute's Boston-based research and communications manager.
Republican Rep. Mark Brody of Union County
"In some places, Representative Brody [is] just letting the industry's representatives and lobbyists work directly with the legislature staff and taking a backseat," Vardi said.
Vardi said Brody served as a "conduit" between the association and legislative staff, from January until the bill came up for final votes last month.
"Unfortunately, it's not unusual to see industry's fingerprints on harmful bills, anti-climate bills, throughout the country. However, I think this case is pretty brazen, where you see the industry really taking charge," Vardi said. - WUNC
NC Republicans Override Governor Cooper’s Veto on House Bill 488
The North Carolina General Assembly overrode Governor Cooper’s veto of HB 488. The bill freezes the state’s residential building codes, as well as energy, plumbing, and mechanical codes, until 2031. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, North Carolina already has the weakest building codes in the southeastern United States. - NRDC
TakeAway: Hold MAGA Republicans accountable for weakening safety regulations before Hurricane Helene. Vote for Kamala Harris and Democrats for ethical leadership
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