(The Center Square) – A House bill that makes it a felony under state law to deny disaster relief to a person based on their political affiliation cleared a Senate committee on Wednesday.
Various Disaster Recovery Reforms, known also as House Bill 251, was prompted after reports that Federal Emergency Management Agency supervisors in 2024 instructed hurricane relief workers in Florida and North Carolina not to approach houses with Donald Trump campaign signs in their yards, state Rep. Kelly Hastings, R-Gaston, one of the sponsors of the bill, told members of the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee on Wednesday.
“I guess it’s important to explain why we are here to begin with,” Hasting told senators. “I started reading about federal aid after the storms. I read this article about a FEMA worker who allegedly was eventually fired because they were instructing people not to provide service based on their political speech.”
Political speech “is the most protected speech in the United States of America,” Hasting said. “It brings on scrutiny when the government tries to restrict political speech. That’s why we are here with this bill today.”
The bill also restricts the collection of demographic information from storm victims that is not required by state or federal law.
Hastings was asked what specific demographic information disaster victims might be asked to provide in order to receive assistance.
“I don’t know the specific instances,” Hastings replied. “I don’t know every exact detail of about what question might be asked and when.”
An amended version of the legislation passed the Senate committee Wednesday and moved on to Rules.
The bill would be effective Dec. 1.
Following the reports in 2024, FEMA director Deanne Criswell condemned the actions.
“This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values & principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation,” Criswell said on social media.
