A new bill filed by State Sen. Paul A. Lowe Jr. seeks to provide funding for renovations and upgrades at Smith Reynolds Airport in Forsyth County, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 197 on Feb. 27 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Funds for Smith Reynolds Airport MRO Hangar.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill provides an appropriation of $3.5 million from the General Fund to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Aviation, for the fiscal year 2025-26. The funds will be allocated to Forsyth County to renovate the Smith Reynolds Airport Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) hangar. The renovation will focus on structural repairs, modernization, HVAC upgrades, and necessary infrastructure enhancements. The Division of Aviation is required to submit quarterly reports on the use of these funds to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division. The act will take effect July 1, 2025.
Lowe proposed another seven bills 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.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 197 | 02/27/2025 | Funds for Smith Reynolds Airport MRO Hangar. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 196 | 02/27/2025 | Winston-Salem/Forsyth Co. Planning & Zoning. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Mujtaba A. Mohammed, and Val Applewhite | SB 211 | 02/27/2025 | Reenact the Earned Income Tax Credit. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 184 | 02/26/2025 | System Development Fees/Exemption. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 185 | 02/26/2025 | Restore Down-Zoning/Forsyth Co. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 186 | 02/26/2025 | Funds for Ladder Truck for WS Fire Station 19. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 187 | 02/26/2025 | 32nd Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 189 | 02/26/2025 | Winston-Salem Civil Service Board. |
