A new bill filed by State Rep. Jarrod Lowery in the North Carolina House seeks to support Indian affairs through funding for cultural, educational, and economic development programs, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 224 on Feb. 26 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Strengthen Our Tribal Communities Act.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill renames the Indian Gaming Education Revenue Fund and allocates additional funds for various initiatives. It designates $2 million annually for the 2025-27 fiscal biennium to support the North Carolina State Commission of Indian Affairs’ operating expenses and programs. Additionally, the bill appropriates $5.25 million yearly to provide grants to seven non-gaming Indian tribes for cultural, educational, and economic development, along with $400,000 annually for four Urban Indian Organizations with the same objectives. Moreover, the bill sets aside $100,000 annually to support the State Advisory Council on Indian Education and $1.1 million in nonrecurring funds for specific tribal schools and daycare operations in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This act is effective July 1, 2025.
Of the four sponsors of this bill, Bill Ward proposed the most bills (15) 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.
Lowery graduated from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 2012 with a BS.
Lowery, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 47th House district, replacing previous state representative Charles Graham.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Chesser, Bill Ward, and Brenden H. Jones | HB 224 | 02/26/2025 | Strengthen Our Tribal Communities Act. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Brian Biggs, and Charles Smith | HB 217 | 02/25/2025 | Driver Educ./18 Yrs & Older & Unlicensed. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Brenden H. Jones, Jake Johnson, and Matthew Winslow | HB 222 | 02/25/2025 | C.O.O.P.E.R. Accountability Act. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Cody Huneycutt, Heather H. Rhyne, and Hugh Blackwell | HB 163 | 02/21/2025 | Pharmacy Benefits Manager Provisions. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Blair Eddins, Brenden H. Jones, and Neal Jackson | HB 171 | 02/21/2025 | Equality in State Agencies/Prohibition on DEI. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Chris Humphrey, Jeffrey C. McNeely, and Kyle Hall | HB 135 | 02/17/2025 | Misbranding/Cell-Cultured Meat/WNC Donations. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Buansi, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 145 | 02/17/2025 | Funds for Diabetes Research Institute/UNC-CH. |
| Jarrod Lowery and Grant L. Campbell, MD | HB 146 | 02/17/2025 | Remote License Renewal/Active Duty Military. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Chesser, and Brian Biggs | HB 112 | 02/12/2025 | Increase Permissible Interstate Speed Limit. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Bill Ward, Mike Clampitt, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 103 | 02/11/2025 | NC Am. Indian Hunting/Fishing Rights. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Diane Wheatley, Harry Warren, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 79 | 02/10/2025 | North Carolina Work and Save. |
| Jarrod Lowery, Allen Buansi, Allen Chesser, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 93 | 02/10/2025 | Constitutional Amendment/Repeal Literacy Test. |
