North Carolina Sen. Mcinnis job maintenance fund eligibility bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill sponsored by State Sen. Tom McInnis aims to provide flexibility in grant eligibility and compliance requirements for businesses under North Carolina’s Job Maintenance and Capital Development Fund, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

In the House, 43 Democrats and 62 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while three Democrats and one Republican opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 15 Democrats and 27 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Mcinnis filed the bill in the North Carolina Senate on March 25 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as SB 664, was passed on June 25 during the 2025 regular session.

According to the North Carolina General Assembly site, the bill’s official text was formally listed with the short title: “JMAC Flexibility/ABCLaws/Megasite/Selectsite.”

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

In essence, the bill provides flexibility in cases of noncompliance with agreements under the Job Maintenance and Capital Development Fund in North Carolina. It modifies the eligibility criteria for businesses seeking grants, outlining categories such as major employers, large manufacturing employers, heritage manufacturing employers, and supply-chain-impact manufacturing employers, each with specific investment and employment requirements. The bill stipulates that grant agreements must include provisions for maintaining specific employment levels and sets penalties for noncompliance. It ensures state funds are used for public purposes by requiring businesses to meet performance criteria, including maintaining employment levels and providing health insurance, with repayment obligations if criteria are not met. The act becomes effective upon becoming law.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Tom McInnis (Republican-21st District) and Sen. Buck Newton (Republican-4th District).

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.

Mclnnis, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 21st Senate district, replacing previous state senator Ben Clark.

Under North Carolina law, bills must receive three readings in each chamber. According to the UNC School of Government, once a bill “passes its constitutionally required second reading and moves to its constitutionally required third reading,” additional debate can occur, but the final stage is often treated as a formality. Unless a legislator requests a roll-call, the third reading may be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent without a separate recorded tally.