House Bill 285 appropriates $52.5 million in nonrecurring Highway Fund dollars for fiscal year 2025-2026 to the Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation for the benefit of the Southeast Regional Airport Authority, which operates Laurinburg-Maxton Airport. The funding is divided among three purposes: $28 million for a runway 5/23 extension, $15 million for airport capital projects, and $9.5 million for water and sewer capital projects.
The bill also requires the Division of Aviation to provide quarterly reports on the use of the funds to the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee and the Fiscal Research Division. The act would take effect July 1, 2025. In practical terms, the bill creates a targeted state investment in airport infrastructure and related utility improvements, and it directs state transportation funds to a specific local aviation authority for capital development.
HB285 would amend state spending by directing a one-time appropriation from the Highway Fund to the Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation for allocation to the Southeast Regional Airport Authority. It does not create a new regulatory program, but it does affect state budget law and transportation appropriations by earmarking funds for runway expansion, airport facilities, and water and sewer infrastructure at Laurinburg-Maxton Airport. The reporting requirement adds legislative oversight of how the funds are spent.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be presented as a straightforward infrastructure funding bill with no documented opposition or support statements in the record supplied. The structure of the bill suggests a practical, project-specific investment rather than a controversial policy change. Because no votes or transcripts are available, the overall sentiment cannot be measured beyond the bill’s neutral, administrative framing.
The main potential point of contention is the size and specificity of the appropriation: $52.5 million in Highway Fund money is directed to a single airport authority and split among airport and utility projects. Critics could question whether the expenditure is an appropriate use of transportation funds or whether the project’s local benefits justify the cost, while supporters would likely emphasize economic development, aviation infrastructure, and regional connectivity. No explicit objections or competing viewpoints are included in the provided record.