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North Carolina House Bill H395

North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina House Bill H395 Compare Versions

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11 GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
22 SESSION 2025
3-H 1
4-HOUSE BILL 395
3+H D
4+HOUSE BILL DRH30192-LGa-125A
5+
56
67
78 Short Title: Funds/Jackson, Transylvania & Swain Counties. (Public)
89 Sponsors: Representative Clampitt.
9-For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
10-Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
11-March 17, 2025
12-*H395 -v-1*
10+Referred to:
11+
12+*DRH30192 -LGa-125A*
1313 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
1414 AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, 2
1515 HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT, AND NONPROFIT INITIATIVES ACROSS SWAIN, 3
1616 JACKSON, AND TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES . 4
1717 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
1818 6
1919 PART I. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SPECIFIC PROJECTS BY COUNTY 7
2020 SECTION 1.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 8
2121 Budget and Management the sum of thirteen million one hundred ninety-one thousand five 9
2222 hundred dollars ($13,191,500) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a 10
2323 directed grant to Swain County to be used as follows: 11
2424 (1) One million ninety-three thousand five hundred dollars ($1,093,500) for the 12
2525 Bryson City Fire Department as follows: 13
2626 a. Five hundred five thousand dollars ($505,000) for a new water tanker. 14
2727 b. Sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) for installation of fire alarm and 15
2828 carbon monoxide detection systems to protect firefighters. 16
2929 c. Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for a generator and transfer 17
3030 switch to maintain continuity of operations during power outages. 18
3131 d. Forty-eight thousand dollars ($48,000) for replacement of three 19
3232 existing apparatus bay doors. 20
3333 e. Four hundred fifty thousand five hundred dollars ($450,500) to 21
3434 complete replacement and repairs to Bryson City's out-of-service fire 22
3535 hydrants. 23
3636 (2) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for Bryson City water and sewer 24
3737 infrastructure improvement. 25
3838 (3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) for a multipurpose building to house the 26
3939 emergency management departments, including fire, rescue, and law 27
4040 enforcement. 28
4141 (4) Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for a communication tower that 29
4242 would allow for better and more reliable communication during outages. 30
4343 (5) Five hundred ninety-eight thousand dollars ($598,000) to replace equipment 31
4444 and a fire engine for the Qualla Fire Department. 32
4545 SECTION 1.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 33
46-Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million six hundred one thousand five hundred 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
47-Page 2 House Bill 395-First Edition
48-fifty-three dollars ($18,601,553) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 1
49-a directed grant to Jackson County to be used as follows: 2
50-(1) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to renovate an existing 3
51-building for town offices, meeting and classroom space, and public facilities 4
52-in the Town of Dillsboro. 5
53-(2) Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for new facilities for the Canada Fire 6
54-Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 7
55-for equipment and supplies. 8
56-(3) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for new facilities for the Cashiers Fire 9
57-Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 10
58-for equipment and supplies. 11
59-(4) Thirty-five thousand five hundred ninety-two dollars ($35,592) for a drone 12
60-with Flir capability, spotlight, and grappling hook to be housed at the 13
61-Cherokee Fire & Rescue Fire Station l. 14
62-(5) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for an addition and upgrade to the current 15
63-bus garage in Sylva for the Jackson County Public Schools. 16
64-(6) Three hundred fifteen thousand nine hundred sixty-one dollars ($315,961) to 17
65-purchase and upfit five new School Resource Officer (SRO) vehicles for the 18
66-Jackson County Sheriff's Office. 19
67-(7) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to install and maintain the stream gage in the 20
68-Town of Webster. 21
69-SECTION 1.3.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 22
70-Budget and Management the sum of sixty-five million two hundred fifty-six thousand four 23
71-hundred dollars ($65,256,400) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 24
72-directed grants to Transylvania County to be used as follows: 25
73-(1) Fifty-two million dollars ($52,000,000) to the Town of Brevard for 26
74-wastewater treatment. 27
75-(2) Eleven million nine hundred eighty-four thousand four hundred dollars 28
76-($11,984,400) to the Town of Rosman for water and sewer infrastructure. 29
77-(3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to Cedar Mountain Volunteer Fire Rescue, 30
78-Inc., a nonprofit organization, for a new fire engine and equipment upgrades. 31
79-(4) Seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) to the Town of North Transylvania 32
80-Fire Rescue, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for emergency signal lights. 33
81-(5) Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for a full body scanner for the 34
82-Transylvania County Sheriff's Office to use at the jail. 35
83-SECTION 1.3.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 36
84-Budget and Management the sum of twenty-eight million four hundred fifty-four thousand six 37
85-hundred ninety-seven dollars ($28,454,697) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 38
86-to provide directed grants to the Transylvania County Board of Education to be used as follows: 39
87-(1) Seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for projects at StudyVille. 40
88-(2) Twenty-one million six hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred dollars 41
89-($21,647,200) for projects at Brevard High School. 42
90-(3) Six million seven hundred thirty-two thousand four hundred ninety-seven 43
91-dollars ($6,732,497) for projects at Rosman Elementary. 44
92- 45
93-PART II. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 46
94-SECTION 2.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 47
95-Budget and Management the sum of four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) in 48
96-nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 49
97-Community College to use as follows: 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
98-House Bill 395-First Edition Page 3
99-(1) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the final phase of the Dental 1
100-Assisting/Hygiene building. 2
101-(2) Two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to complete the new 3
102-library, small business and offices center. 4
103-SECTION 2.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 5
104-Budget and Management the sum of seventy-two million nine hundred twenty-four thousand one 6
105-hundred dollars ($72,924,100) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a 7
106-directed grant to Western Carolina University to use as follows: 8
107-(1) Four million one hundred thousand dollars ($4,100,000) for campus safety 9
108-infrastructure priorities, including implementing critical strategies to enhance 10
109-future disaster readiness. 11
110-(2) Six million dollars ($6,000,000) for infrastructure and site preparation costs 12
111-related to community housing and revitalization. 13
112-(3) Sixty-two million dollars ($62,000,000) for the completion of the engineering 14
113-building at the desired square footage to meet regional industry needs. 15
114-(4) Seven hundred ninety-two thousand one hundred dollars ($792,100) to meet 16
115-statutory compliance for Laboratory schools, including reimbursement for 17
116-relocation costs associated with the unexpected Jackson County Public School 18
117-eviction of the Catamount Laboratory School. 19
118-(5) Thirty-two thousand dollars ($32,000) for new, ongoing, and unbudgeted 20
119-operational costs. 21
120-SECTION 2.3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 22
121-Budget and Management the sum of nine million eight hundred thousand dollars ($9,800,000) in 23
122-nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 24
123-Community College for repair and renovation of the Almond Center. 25
124-SECTION 2.4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 26
125-Budget and Management the sum of one hundred nine million four hundred twenty thousand 27
126-dollars ($109,420,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed 28
127-grant to Blue Ridge Community College to use as follows: 29
128-(1) Fifty-one million dollars ($51,000,000) for facilities and capital needs of the 30
129-Transylvania County Campus. 31
130-(2) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for budget stabilization and enrollment 32
131-recovery. 33
132-(3) One million five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,550,000) for multicampus 34
133-FTE relief. 35
134-(4) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for Hurricane Helene repairs and 36
135-infrastructure renovations. 37
136-(5) Forty million dollars ($40,000,000) for a regional fire and rescue training 38
137-center. 39
138-(6) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for emergency shelter 40
139-upgrades. 41
140-(7) Six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) to purchase and install generators. 42
141-(8) Three million one hundred thousand dollars ($3,100,000) for water and sewer 43
142-expansions. 44
143-(9) Two million four hundred thousand dollars ($2,400,000) for emergency grant 45
144-funding. 46
145-(10) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for tuition assistance. 47
146-(11) Three million two hundred seventy thousand dollars ($3,270,000) for program 48
147-expansion of skilled trades, including engineering, health sciences, and public 49
148-safety programs. 50
149- 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
150-Page 4 House Bill 395-First Edition
151-PART III. OTHERS AND NONPROFIT REQUESTS 1
152-SECTION 3.1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 2
153-Budget and Management the sum of one million five hundred twenty-five thousand dollars 3
154-($1,525,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide directed grants to 4
155-the following: 5
156-(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) to Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, Inc., a 6
157-nonprofit organization, to provide free food to the residents of Jackson County 7
158-and surrounding areas. 8
159-(2) Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to Swain County Genealogical and 9
160-Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, for an outbuilding to provide 10
161-additional storage space. 11
162-(3) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to Blue Ridge 12
163-Parkway Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to ensure that the gateway 13
164-communities are ready for tourists as recovery from Hurricane Helene 14
165-continues. 15
166-SECTION 3.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 16
167-Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million two hundred seventy-eight thousand six 17
168-hundred twenty-four dollars ($18,278,624) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 18
169-and the sum of ninety-one thousand three hundred seventy-two dollars ($91,372) in recurring 19
170-funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and two hundred twenty-three thousand eight hundred sixty 20
171-dollars ($223,860) in recurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to 21
172-the University of North Carolina at Asheville for the procurement, installation, operation, and 22
173-maintenance of three weather radar systems in locations across the State. 23
174-SECTION 3.1.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 24
175-of Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars 25
176-($1,500,000) for the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program. These funds shall be used 26
177-to provide one-time grants to science museums in Western North Carolina that have been 27
178-engaged in relief efforts and whose normal operations were disrupted, causing a severe loss in 28
179-revenue due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Grant awards shall not exceed 29
180-twenty-five percent (25%) of the eligible museums' annual budget with the maximum awards not 30
181-exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). Any remaining funds shall be 31
182-distributed equally among participating museums after the initial grants are awarded. Eligible 32
183-museums include the following: 33
184-(1) Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum. 34
185-(2) Buncombe County Asheville Museum of Science. 35
186-(3) North Carolina Arboretum. 36
187-(4) Western North Carolina Nature Center. 37
188-(5) Henderson County Hands On! Children's Museum. 38
189-(6) Team ECCO Aquarium. 39
190-(7) Macon County Highlands Nature Center. 40
191-(8) Rutherford County KidSenses Children's Museum. 41
192-(9) Transylvania County Cradle of Forestry, FIND Outdoors. 42
193-(10) Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. 43
194- 44
195-PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 45
196-SECTION 4.1. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 46
46+Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million six hundred one thousand five hundred 34
47+fifty-three dollars ($18,601,553) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 35
48+a directed grant to Jackson County to be used as follows: 36
49+H.B. 395
50+Mar 13, 2025
51+HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
52+Page 2 DRH30192-LGa-125A
53+(1) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to renovate an existing 1
54+building for town offices, meeting and classroom space, and public facilities 2
55+in the Town of Dillsboro. 3
56+(2) Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for new facilities for the Canada Fire 4
57+Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 5
58+for equipment and supplies. 6
59+(3) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for new facilities for the Cashiers Fire 7
60+Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 8
61+for equipment and supplies. 9
62+(4) Thirty-five thousand five hundred ninety-two dollars ($35,592) for a drone 10
63+with Flir capability, spotlight, and grappling hook to be housed at the 11
64+Cherokee Fire & Rescue Fire Station l. 12
65+(5) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for an addition and upgrade to the current 13
66+bus garage in Sylva for the Jackson County Public Schools. 14
67+(6) Three hundred fifteen thousand nine hundred sixty-one dollars ($315,961) to 15
68+purchase and upfit five new School Resource Officer (SRO) vehicles for the 16
69+Jackson County Sheriff's Office. 17
70+(7) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to install and maintain the stream gage in the 18
71+Town of Webster. 19
72+SECTION 1.3.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 20
73+Budget and Management the sum of sixty-five million two hundred fifty-six thousand four 21
74+hundred dollars ($65,256,400) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 22
75+directed grants to Transylvania County to be used as follows: 23
76+(1) Fifty-two million dollars ($52,000,000) to the Town of Brevard for 24
77+wastewater treatment. 25
78+(2) Eleven million nine hundred eighty-four thousand four hundred dollars 26
79+($11,984,400) to the Town of Rosman for water and sewer infrastructure. 27
80+(3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to Cedar Mountain Volunteer Fire Rescue, 28
81+Inc., a nonprofit organization, for a new fire engine and equipment upgrades. 29
82+(4) Seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) to the Town of North Transylvania 30
83+Fire Rescue, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for emergency signal lights. 31
84+(5) Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for a full body scanner for the 32
85+Transylvania County Sheriff's Office to use at the jail. 33
86+SECTION 1.3.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 34
87+Budget and Management the sum of twenty-eight million four hundred fifty-four thousand six 35
88+hundred ninety-seven dollars ($28,454,697) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 36
89+to provide directed grants to the Transylvania County Board of Education to be used as follows: 37
90+(1) Seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for projects at StudyVille. 38
91+(2) Twenty-one million six hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred dollars 39
92+($21,647,200) for projects at Brevard High School. 40
93+(3) Six million seven hundred thirty-two thousand four hundred ninety-seven 41
94+dollars ($6,732,497) for projects at Rosman Elementary. 42
95+ 43
96+PART II. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 44
97+SECTION 2.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 45
98+Budget and Management the sum of four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) in 46
99+nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 47
100+Community College to use as follows: 48
101+(1) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the final phase of the Dental 49
102+Assisting/Hygiene building. 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
103+DRH30192-LGa-125A Page 3
104+(2) Two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to complete the new 1
105+library, small business and offices center. 2
106+SECTION 2.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 3
107+Budget and Management the sum of seventy-two million nine hundred twenty-four thousand one 4
108+hundred dollars ($72,924,100) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a 5
109+directed grant to Western Carolina University to use as follows: 6
110+(1) Four million one hundred thousand dollars ($4,100,000) for campus safety 7
111+infrastructure priorities, including implementing critical strategies to enhance 8
112+future disaster readiness. 9
113+(2) Six million dollars ($6,000,000) for infrastructure and site preparation costs 10
114+related to community housing and revitalization. 11
115+(3) Sixty-two million dollars ($62,000,000) for the completion of the engineering 12
116+building at the desired square footage to meet regional industry needs. 13
117+(4) Seven hundred ninety-two thousand one hundred dollars ($792,100) to meet 14
118+statutory compliance for Laboratory schools, including reimbursement for 15
119+relocation costs associated with the unexpected Jackson County Public School 16
120+eviction of the Catamount Laboratory School. 17
121+(5) Thirty-two thousand dollars ($32,000) for new, ongoing, and unbudgeted 18
122+operational costs. 19
123+SECTION 2.3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 20
124+Budget and Management the sum of nine million eight hundred thousand dollars ($9,800,000) in 21
125+nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 22
126+Community College for repair and renovation of the Almond Center. 23
127+SECTION 2.4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 24
128+Budget and Management the sum of one hundred nine million four hundred twenty thousand 25
129+dollars ($109,420,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed 26
130+grant to Blue Ridge Community College to use as follows: 27
131+(1) Fifty-one million dollars ($51,000,000) for facilities and capital needs of the 28
132+Transylvania County Campus. 29
133+(2) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for budget stabilization and enrollment 30
134+recovery. 31
135+(3) One million five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,550,000) for multicampus 32
136+FTE relief. 33
137+(4) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for Hurricane Helene repairs and 34
138+infrastructure renovations. 35
139+(5) Forty million dollars ($40,000,000) for a regional fire and rescue training 36
140+center. 37
141+(6) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for emergency shelter 38
142+upgrades. 39
143+(7) Six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) to purchase and install generators. 40
144+(8) Three million one hundred thousand dollars ($3,100,000) for water and sewer 41
145+expansions. 42
146+(9) Two million four hundred thousand dollars ($2,400,000) for emergency grant 43
147+funding. 44
148+(10) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for tuition assistance. 45
149+(11) Three million two hundred seventy thousand dollars ($3,270,000) for program 46
150+expansion of skilled trades, including engineering, health sciences, and public 47
151+safety programs. 48
152+ 49
153+PART III. OTHERS AND NONPROFIT REQUESTS 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
154+Page 4 DRH30192-LGa-125A
155+SECTION 3.1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 1
156+Budget and Management the sum of one million five hundred twenty-five thousand dollars 2
157+($1,525,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide directed grants to 3
158+the following: 4
159+(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) to Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, Inc., a 5
160+nonprofit organization, to provide free food to the residents of Jackson County 6
161+and surrounding areas. 7
162+(2) Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to Swain County Genealogical and 8
163+Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, for an outbuilding to provide 9
164+additional storage space. 10
165+(3) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to Blue Ridge 11
166+Parkway Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to ensure that the gateway 12
167+communities are ready for tourists as recovery from Hurricane Helene 13
168+continues. 14
169+SECTION 3.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 15
170+Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million two hundred seventy-eight thousand six 16
171+hundred twenty-four dollars ($18,278,624) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 17
172+and the sum of ninety-one thousand three hundred seventy-two dollars ($91,372) in recurring 18
173+funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and two hundred twenty-three thousand eight hundred sixty 19
174+dollars ($223,860) in recurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to 20
175+the University of North Carolina at Asheville for the procurement, installation, operation, and 21
176+maintenance of three weather radar systems in locations across the State. 22
177+SECTION 3.1.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 23
178+of Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars 24
179+($1,500,000) for the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program. These funds shall be used 25
180+to provide one-time grants to science museums in Western North Carolina that have been 26
181+engaged in relief efforts and whose normal operations were disrupted, causing a severe loss in 27
182+revenue due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Grant awards shall not exceed 28
183+twenty-five percent (25%) of the eligible museums' annual budget with the maximum awards not 29
184+exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). Any remaining funds shall be 30
185+distributed equally among participating museums after the initial grants are awarded. Eligible 31
186+museums include the following: 32
187+(1) Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum. 33
188+(2) Buncombe County Asheville Museum of Science. 34
189+(3) North Carolina Arboretum. 35
190+(4) Western North Carolina Nature Center. 36
191+(5) Henderson County Hands On! Children's Museum. 37
192+(6) Team ECCO Aquarium. 38
193+(7) Macon County Highlands Nature Center. 39
194+(8) Rutherford County KidSenses Children's Museum. 40
195+(9) Transylvania County Cradle of Forestry, FIND Outdoors. 41
196+(10) Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. 42
197+ 43
198+PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 44
199+SECTION 4.1. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 45