State House passes flood recovery bill

The state House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday from the Flood Disaster Study Committee authorizing the governor to declare a natural disaster to fund recovery efforts without waiting for a presidential declaration.

The bill, which passed by a 55-5 bipartisan vote, is sponsored by Rep. Mike Foote, D-Lafayette, and Rep. Stephen Humphrey, R-Severance.

The governor currently can only provide aid to affected communities if the president has declared a natural disaster. House Bill 1004 gives the governor the ability to declare a natural disaster and provide financial assistance without waiting for a declaration from the president.

The bill now…