GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 395
Short Title: Funds/Jackson, Transylvania & Swain Counties. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Clampitt.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
March 17, 2025
*H395 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO APPROPRIAT E FUNDS FOR INFRASTR UCTURE DEVELOPMENT, 2
HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT, AND NONPROFIT INITIATIVES ACROSS SWAIN, 3
JACKSON, AND TRANSYL VANIA COUNTIES. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
6
PART I. INFRASTRUCTURE AND SPECIFIC PROJECT S BY COUNTY 7
SECTION 1.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 8
Budget and Management the sum of thirteen million one hundred ninety-one thousand five 9
hundred dollars ($13,191,500) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a 10
directed grant to Swain County to be used as follows: 11
(1) One million ninety-three thousand five hundred dollars ($1,093,500) for the 12
Bryson City Fire Department as follows: 13
a. Five hundred five thousand dollars ($505,000) for a new water tanker. 14
b. Sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000) for installation of fire alarm and 15
carbon monoxide detection systems to protect firefighters. 16
c. Twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for a generator and transfer 17
switch to maintain continuity of operations during power outages. 18
d. Forty-eight thousand dollars ($48,000) for replacement of three 19
existing apparatus bay doors. 20
e. Four hundred fifty thousand five hundred dollars ($450,500) to 21
complete replacement and repairs to Bryson City's out-of-service fire 22
hydrants. 23
(2) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for Bryson City water and sewer 24
infrastructure improvement. 25
(3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) for a multipurpose building to house the 26
emergency management departments, including fire, rescue, and law 27
enforcement. 28
(4) Five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for a communication tower that 29
would allow for better and more reliable communication during outages. 30
(5) Five hundred ninety-eight thousand dollars ($598,000) to replace equipment 31
and a fire engine for the Qualla Fire Department. 32
SECTION 1.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 33
Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million six hundred one thousand five hundred 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 395-First Edition
fifty-three dollars ($18,601,553) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 1
a directed grant to Jackson County to be used as follows: 2
(1) Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) to renovate an existing 3
building for town offices, meeting and classroom space, and public facilities 4
in the Town of Dillsboro. 5
(2) Five million dollars ($5,000,000) for new facilities for the Canada Fire 6
Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 7
for equipment and supplies. 8
(3) Ten million dollars ($10,000,000) for new facilities for the Cashiers Fire 9
Department to include shelter, bunk space for personnel, and updated housing 10
for equipment and supplies. 11
(4) Thirty-five thousand five hundred ninety-two dollars ($35,592) for a drone 12
with Flir capability, spotlight, and grappling hook to be housed at the 13
Cherokee Fire & Rescue Fire Station l. 14
(5) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for an addition and upgrade to the current 15
bus garage in Sylva for the Jackson County Public Schools. 16
(6) Three hundred fifteen thousand nine hundred sixty-one dollars ($315,961) to 17
purchase and upfit five new School Resource Officer (SRO) vehicles for the 18
Jackson County Sheriff's Office. 19
(7) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to install and maintain the stream gage in the 20
Town of Webster. 21
SECTION 1.3.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 22
Budget and Management the sum of sixty-five million two hundred fifty-six thousand four 23
hundred dollars ($65,256,400) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide 24
directed grants to Transylvania County to be used as follows: 25
(1) Fifty-two million dollars ($52,000,000) to the Town of Brevard for 26
wastewater treatment. 27
(2) Eleven million nine hundred eighty-four thousand four hundred dollars 28
($11,984,400) to the Town of Rosman for water and sewer infrastructure. 29
(3) One million dollars ($1,000,000) to Cedar Mountain Volunteer Fire Rescue, 30
Inc., a nonprofit organization, for a new fire engine and equipment upgrades. 31
(4) Seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) to the Town of North Transylvania 32
Fire Rescue, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for emergency signal lights. 33
(5) Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) for a full body scanner for the 34
Transylvania County Sheriff's Office to use at the jail. 35
SECTION 1.3.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 36
Budget and Management the sum of twenty-eight million four hundred fifty-four thousand six 37
hundred ninety-seven dollars ($28,454,697) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 38
to provide directed grants to the Transylvania County Board of Education to be used as follows: 39
(1) Seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for projects at StudyVille. 40
(2) Twenty-one million six hundred forty-seven thousand two hundred dollars 41
($21,647,200) for projects at Brevard High School. 42
(3) Six million seven hundred thirty-two thousand four hundred ninety-seven 43
dollars ($6,732,497) for projects at Rosman Elementary. 44
45
PART II. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 46
SECTION 2.1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 47
Budget and Management the sum of four million five hundred thousand dollars ($4,500,000) in 48
nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 49
Community College to use as follows: 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
House Bill 395-First Edition Page 3
(1) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for the final phase of the Dental 1
Assisting/Hygiene building. 2
(2) Two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) to complete the new 3
library, small business and offices center. 4
SECTION 2.2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 5
Budget and Management the sum of seventy-two million nine hundred twenty-four thousand one 6
hundred dollars ($72,924,100) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a 7
directed grant to Western Carolina University to use as follows: 8
(1) Four million one hundred thousand dollars ($4,100,000) for campus safety 9
infrastructure priorities, including implementing critical strategies to enhance 10
future disaster readiness. 11
(2) Six million dollars ($6,000,000) for infrastructure and site preparation costs 12
related to community housing and revitalization. 13
(3) Sixty-two million dollars ($62,000,000) for the completion of the engineering 14
building at the desired square footage to meet regional industry needs. 15
(4) Seven hundred ninety-two thousand one hundred dollars ($792,100) to meet 16
statutory compliance for Laboratory schools, including reimbursement for 17
relocation costs associated with the unexpected Jackson County Public School 18
eviction of the Catamount Laboratory School. 19
(5) Thirty-two thousand dollars ($32,000) for new, ongoing, and unbudgeted 20
operational costs. 21
SECTION 2.3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 22
Budget and Management the sum of nine million eight hundred thousand dollars ($9,800,000) in 23
nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to Southwestern 24
Community College for repair and renovation of the Almond Center. 25
SECTION 2.4. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 26
Budget and Management the sum of one hundred nine million four hundred twenty thousand 27
dollars ($109,420,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide a directed 28
grant to Blue Ridge Community College to use as follows: 29
(1) Fifty-one million dollars ($51,000,000) for facilities and capital needs of the 30
Transylvania County Campus. 31
(2) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for budget stabilization and enrollment 32
recovery. 33
(3) One million five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,550,000) for multicampus 34
FTE relief. 35
(4) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for Hurricane Helene repairs and 36
infrastructure renovations. 37
(5) Forty million dollars ($40,000,000) for a regional fire and rescue training 38
center. 39
(6) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) for emergency shelter 40
upgrades. 41
(7) Six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) to purchase and install generators. 42
(8) Three million one hundred thousand dollars ($3,100,000) for water and sewer 43
expansions. 44
(9) Two million four hundred thousand dollars ($2,400,000) for emergency grant 45
funding. 46
(10) Two million dollars ($2,000,000) for tuition assistance. 47
(11) Three million two hundred seventy thousand dollars ($3,270,000) for program 48
expansion of skilled trades, including engineering, health sciences, and public 49
safety programs. 50
51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 4 House Bill 395-First Edition
PART III. OTHERS AND NONPROFIT REQUESTS 1
SECTION 3.1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 2
Budget and Management the sum of one million five hundred twenty-five thousand dollars 3
($1,525,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to provide directed grants to 4
the following: 5
(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) to Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, Inc., a 6
nonprofit organization, to provide free food to the residents of Jackson County 7
and surrounding areas. 8
(2) Twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) to Swain County Genealogical and 9
Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, for an outbuilding to provide 10
additional storage space. 11
(3) One million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to Blue Ridge 12
Parkway Foundation, a nonprofit organization, to ensure that the gateway 13
communities are ready for tourists as recovery from Hurricane Helene 14
continues. 15
SECTION 3.1.(b) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of State 16
Budget and Management the sum of eighteen million two hundred seventy-eight thousand six 17
hundred twenty-four dollars ($18,278,624) in nonrecurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year 18
and the sum of ninety-one thousand three hundred seventy-two dollars ($91,372) in recurring 19
funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and two hundred twenty-three thousand eight hundred sixty 20
dollars ($223,860) in recurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to provide a directed grant to 21
the University of North Carolina at Asheville for the procurement, installation, operation, and 22
maintenance of three weather radar systems in locations across the State. 23
SECTION 3.1.(c) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department 24
of Natural and Cultural Resources the sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars 25
($1,500,000) for the North Carolina Science Museums Grant Program. These funds shall be used 26
to provide one-time grants to science museums in Western North Carolina that have been 27
engaged in relief efforts and whose normal operations were disrupted, causing a severe loss in 28
revenue due to the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Grant awards shall not exceed 29
twenty-five percent (25%) of the eligible museums' annual budget with the maximum awards not 30
exceeding one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). Any remaining funds shall be 31
distributed equally among participating museums after the initial grants are awarded. Eligible 32
museums include the following: 33
(1) Grandfather Mountain Nature Museum. 34
(2) Buncombe County Asheville Museum of Science. 35
(3) North Carolina Arboretum. 36
(4) Western North Carolina Nature Center. 37
(5) Henderson County Hands On! Children's Museum. 38
(6) Team ECCO Aquarium. 39
(7) Macon County Highlands Nature Center. 40
(8) Rutherford County KidSenses Children's Museum. 41
(9) Transylvania County Cradle of Forestry, FIND Outdoors. 42
(10) Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute. 43
44
PART IV. EFFECTIVE DATE 45
SECTION 4.1. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 46