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A disaster aid bill for Hawaii County is heading to Gov. David Ige’s desk after passing the state Senate on Friday.
House Bill 1180 gives the county $20 million in grants and $40 million in no-interest loans to help Puna recover from last year’s Kilauea eruption.
The disaster destroyed 716 homes and covered nearly 14 square miles.
“It is a giant step toward providing much needed financial relief to the county of Hawaii and residents of Puna, who have experienced extreme hardship over the past year in rebuilding their lives,” said Sen. Russell Ruderman, D-Puna, Ka‘u, in a press release.
The aid is on top of the $22 million Ige already released for the county.
Rep. Joy San Buenaventura, D-Puna, was the bill’s main sponsor.