Rep. Reives files bill in North Carolina House to boost business and biotechnology funding

A new bill filed by State Rep. Robert T. Reives, II in the North Carolina House aims to expand support for business growth, biotechnology programs, and rare disease resources, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 1078 on April 28 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Omnibus Life Sciences Appropriations.’

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

In essence, this bill appropriates $10 million in recurring funds from the General Fund to the Department of Commerce for the One North Carolina Small Business Account and $2 million in recurring funds to support North Carolina Biotechnology Center programs starting in the 2026-27 fiscal year. It restructures and relocates the Advisory Council on Rare Diseases to the Department of Health and Human Services, revises its membership and duties, and provides $250,000 in recurring funds for its operations. The bill authorizes long-term state reimbursement awards for major private water and sewer economic development projects and creates a $20 million Life Science and Biomanufacturing Technologies Reserve Fund for future legislative appropriations. Parts 1, 2, 3 and 5 take effect July 1, 2026.

Of the two sponsors of this bill, Donna McDowell White proposed the most bills (41) 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.

Reives graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 with a BA and again in 1995 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a JD.

Reives, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2014 to represent the state’s 54th House district, replacing previous state representative Deb McManus.