Rep. Lambeth files bill in North Carolina House to aid hurricane recovery with CDL training grants

A new bill filed by State Rep. Donny Lambeth in the North Carolina House seeks to assist Western North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene through a grant program for CDL training and employment support, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 892 on April 9 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘CDL Training/Disaster Affected Areas.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill establishes a grant program within the Department of Commerce to assist residents of Western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene in obtaining commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and securing post-training employment in disaster recovery efforts. The program will fund accredited CDL training providers to cover training costs and provide stipends for temporary accommodations for trainees. Grants of $4,000 per trainee will be provided to training providers upon program completion and CDL receipt, with an additional $1,500 available for accommodations for those in financial need. To facilitate the program, partnerships will be formed with local hotels and employers. The initiative is funded by a $2.5 million appropriation for the 2025-26 fiscal year, effective July 1, 2025.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Lambeth proposed the most bills (57) during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Lambeth graduated from High Point University in 1972 with a BA.

Lambeth, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2013 to represent the state’s 75th House district, replacing previous state representative Bill McGee.