The new bill filed by State Sen. Paul A. Lowe, Jr. aims to expand waiver slots and improve access to community-based services for eligible residents, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 868 on April 28 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Medicaid Innovations Waiver Slot Expansion.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Health Benefits to amend the North Carolina Innovations waiver to add 1,000 new waiver slots, making the additional slots available on July 1, 2026, or as soon as practicable after that date. It appropriates $36.2 million in recurring funds from the General Fund, along with associated receipts, beginning with the 2026-27 fiscal year to pay for the expanded slots. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and appears intended to increase access to home- and community-based services for eligible individuals.
Lowe proposed another 27 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 868 | 04/28/2026 | Medicaid Innovations Waiver Slot Expansion. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 867 | 04/28/2026 | Increased Admin Fund for Medicaid. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 869 | 04/28/2026 | Reduce County Share/SA In-Home Program. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Dan Blue, and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 534 | 03/25/2025 | Capital Project Funding at NCA&T/WSSU. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Dan Blue, and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 542 | 03/25/2025 | Western NC Support; Expand Comm. Eco. Dev. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Sophia Chitlik | SB 578 | 03/25/2025 | North Carolina CARDINAL Corps Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 591 | 03/25/2025 | Revise Animal Fighting Laws. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Lisa Grafstein, and Sophia Chitlik | SB 618 | 03/25/2025 | Lasting Economic and Academic Prosperity Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 621 | 03/25/2025 | An Act for Better Education. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Bobby Hanig | SB 642 | 03/25/2025 | SAVE Students Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and DeAndrea Salvador | SB 643 | 03/25/2025 | Expand & Enhance the Teaching Fellows Program. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Sophia Chitlik, and Woodson Bradley | SB 684 | 03/25/2025 | Put Money to Work in Communities Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 367 | 03/20/2025 | Capital Project Funding at HBCUs. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Caleb Theodros, and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 343 | 03/19/2025 | Secure Home, Secure Future Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Dan Blue, and Gale Adcock | SB 297 | 03/17/2025 | Nursing Fellows & Curric. Support Funds/WSSU. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 301 | 03/17/2025 | Film and Entertainment Grant Fund Mods. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Benton G. Sawrey, and Eddie D. Settle | SB 317 | 03/17/2025 | Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Gladys A. Robinson | SB 283 | 03/13/2025 | Expand Sickle Cell Disease Programs & Svcs. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. and Dana Jones | SB 241 | 03/05/2025 | Funds for Smith Reynolds Airport MRO Hangar. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr., Gladys A. Robinson, and Michael Garrett | SB 243 | 03/05/2025 | Commuter Rail Study/Piedmont Triad. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 196 | 02/27/2025 | Winston-Salem/Forsyth Co. Planning & Zoning. |
| Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 197 | 02/27/2025 | Funds for Smith Reynolds Airport MRO Hangar. |
| 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. |
