A new bill filed by State Rep. Dean Arp in the North Carolina House seeks to support Western North Carolina residents impacted by Hurricane Helene through a grant program for CDL training and job placement, 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, Donny 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.
Arp graduated from The Military College of South Carolina in 1988 with a BS.
Arp, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2013 to represent the state’s 69th House district, replacing previous state representative Frank McGuirt.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dean Arp and Donny Lambeth | HB 892 | 04/09/2025 | CDL Training/Disaster Affected Areas. |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 877 | 04/09/2025 | Childcare Pilot. |
| Dean Arp, Brian Biggs, Jennifer Balkcom, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 883 | 04/09/2025 | Support Students with Disabilities Act. |
| Dean Arp, Ben T. Moss, Jr., Brian Echevarria, and Neal Jackson | HB 776 | 04/03/2025 | NC Religious Freedom Restoration Act. |
| Dean Arp, Chris Humphrey, Jonathan L. Almond, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 719 | 04/02/2025 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities Act.-AB |
| Dean Arp, Blair Eddins, Cody Huneycutt, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 751 | 04/02/2025 | Uniform Energy Rates for Seasonal Service. |
| Dean Arp, Mitchell S. Setzer, Neal Jackson, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 762 | 04/02/2025 | Modernize NC S.A.F.E. Act. |
| Dean Arp, Dennis Riddell, John M. Blust, and Jonathan L. Almond | HB 606 | 03/31/2025 | Civil Procedure Amendment. |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 542 | 03/26/2025 | Child Care Mental & Behavioral Services/Funds. |
| Dean Arp, Dennis Riddell, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 435 | 03/18/2025 | Mod. Bd. of Eng’ers & Surveyors. |
| Dean Arp, Carla D. Cunningham, Keith Kidwell, and Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 451 | 03/18/2025 | Diabetes Education for Parents. |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 412 | 03/17/2025 | Child Care Regulatory Reforms. |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, John R. Bell, IV, and Larry C. Strickland | HB 389 | 03/12/2025 | Child Care Workforce Pilot Program. |
| Dean Arp, Chris Humphrey, Jonathan L. Almond, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 357 | 03/10/2025 | Continuing Care Retirement Communities Act.-AB |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 309 | 03/05/2025 | Various Local Provisions VI. |
| Dean Arp, Dennis Riddell, Destin Hall, and John M. Blust | HB 310 | 03/05/2025 | Eminent Domain. |
| Dean Arp and David Willis | HB 170 | 02/21/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning/Union Co. |
| Dean Arp, Donny Lambeth, Kyle Hall, and Larry C. Strickland | HB 74 | 02/10/2025 | House Budget Technical Corrections. |
