Sen. Lee files bill in North Carolina Senate to restore scrap tire cleanup funding

A new bill filed by State Sen. Michael V. Lee seeks to restore financial assistance to counties for scrap tire cleanup and improve grant funding for local governments, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 706 on March 25 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘County Waste Management Assistance.’

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

In essence, this bill seeks to restore financial assistance to North Carolina counties for the cleanup and disposal of scrap tires by amending the distribution of scrap tire disposal tax proceeds. It mandates that 30% of the net tax proceeds be credited to the Scrap Tire Disposal Account, which will fund grants for local governments. The bill increases the allowable use of these funds for grants to support scrap tire disposal from 50% to 75% and reduces the allocation for promoting the use of processed scrap tire materials from 40% to 15%. Additionally, it allows up to $175,000 for administrative costs and positions to aid local governments in managing scrap tire issues. The remaining funds are designated for cleaning up illegal scrap tire sites. The bill also specifies eligibility criteria for local government grants and the requirements for state reporting on the program’s implementation. The act becomes effective Oct. 1, 2025, regarding scrap tire disposal tax crediting, while other provisions take effect immediately upon enactment.

Of the three sponsors of this bill, Lee proposed the most bills (34) 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.

Lee graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991 with a BA and again in 1997 from Wake Forest University Law School with a JD.

Lee, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 7th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Jim Perry.