Sen. Lowe files bill in North Carolina Senate for university capital improvements

A new bill filed by State Sen. Paul A. Lowe Jr. seeks to allocate state funds for capital improvements at North Carolina universities, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 534 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Capital Project Funding at NCA&T/WSSU.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill allocates $237.5 million in nonrecurring funds from the State Capital and Infrastructure Fund to the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors for capital improvement projects. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University will receive $125 million for an Agricultural Research Classroom, and Winston-Salem State University will be allocated $112.5 million for a Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Complex. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Gladys A. Robinson and Lowe proposed the most bills (25) 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.

Lowe graduated from Bishop College in 1985 with a BA and again from Drew University School of Theology with a DMIN.

Lowe, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2015 to represent the state’s 32nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Earline Parmon.