State Sen. Gladys A. Robinson has filed new legislation in the North Carolina Senate aimed at offering financial assistance to small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
Filed as SB 891 on April 28 in the regular 2025 session, the bill carries the short title, ‘Small Business Investment Grant.’
Our analysis, referencing the official bill text, clarifies its core provisions.
The proposal would allocate $250 million in one-time General Fund appropriations to the Department of Commerce for a COVID-19 Small Business Recovery Program. This program would provide one-time grants to eligible businesses. Grants would be available to North Carolina businesses subject to state income tax that reported receipts of $8 million or less in 2019 and saw at least a 25% drop in 2020 sales tax collections relative to 2019. The maximum award would be the lesser of $250,000 or the observed shortfall. Applications would be open until funds are depleted. The bill stipulates that the Revenue Department must share data to confirm eligibility, and recipients must continue operations for at least six months to avoid repayment. Grants would be exempt from state taxable income only for tax years beginning in 2025. This tax exclusion is effective Jan. 1, 2025, and sunsets Jan. 1, 2026; other parts of the bill take effect upon enactment.
Natalie S. Murdock, among the three sponsors, introduced the most bills (80) during the 2025 regular session.
In North Carolina, bills undergo a multi-stage approval process. After a legislator files a bill, it is directed to a committee for examination. The bill must be read three separate times in each chamber. Any amendments made after passage by one chamber require agreement by both bodies. Approval of identical versions in both chambers sends the bill to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 days if the legislature is out of session) to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature.
Additional information on legislation and measures can be found here.
Robinson holds a BA from Bennett College for Women.
A Democrat, Robinson joined the North Carolina State Senate in 2011, representing the 28th Senate district and succeeded Katie Dorsett.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladys A. Robinson, Kandie D. Smith, and Natalie S. Murdock | SB 891 | 04/28/2026 | Small Business Investment Grant. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Jay J. Chaudhuri | SB 822 | 04/22/2026 | Every School Has Resources Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Dan Blue, and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 534 | 03/25/2025 | Capital Project Funding at NCA&T/WSSU. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Dan Blue, and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 542 | 03/25/2025 | Western NC Support; Expand Comm. Eco. Dev. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Michael Garrett | SB 547 | 03/25/2025 | Clarify Ballot Language for Art. 46 Tax. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Natalie S. Murdock, and Sydney Batch | SB 571 | 03/25/2025 | MOMnibus 3.0. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Dan Blue, and Michael V. Lee | SB 596 | 03/25/2025 | Critical Campus Funding Repairs. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Graig Meyer, and Michael Garrett | SB 612 | 03/25/2025 | Convert School Buses to Electric by 2050. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Michael Garrett, and Terence Everitt | SB 646 | 03/25/2025 | Make NC Insurrection-Free. |
| Gladys A. Robinson | SB 658 | 03/25/2025 | Funds/Greensboro Blandwood Mansion. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Kandie D. Smith, and Val Applewhite | SB 660 | 03/25/2025 | Honoring Sacrifice: NC Veterans Relief Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson | SB 714 | 03/25/2025 | Prohibit Corporal Punishment in Schools. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, DeAndrea Salvador, and Graig Meyer | SB 732 | 03/25/2025 | NC Economic Progress and Well Being. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Michael Garrett | SB 751 | 03/25/2025 | Protect Children from Leaking Garbage Trucks. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 367 | 03/20/2025 | Capital Project Funding at HBCUs. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Caleb Theodros, and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 343 | 03/19/2025 | Secure Home, Secure Future Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Caleb Theodros, and Val Applewhite | SB 348 | 03/19/2025 | Home Comfort Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Val Applewhite | SB 323 | 03/18/2025 | Student Health and Responsibility Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 301 | 03/17/2025 | Film and Entertainment Grant Fund Mods. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Sophia Chitlik, and Woodson Bradley | SB 281 | 03/13/2025 | Essential Relief for Child Care Act. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 283 | 03/13/2025 | Expand Sickle Cell Disease Programs & Svcs. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Michael Garrett | SB 284 | 03/13/2025 | Guilford County Schools Funding Requests. |
| Gladys A. Robinson and Michael Garrett | SB 285 | 03/13/2025 | Teacher Salary Supplement/Guilford Cnty Schs. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Michael Garrett, and Paul A. Lowe, Jr. | SB 243 | 03/05/2025 | Commuter Rail Study/Piedmont Triad. |
| Gladys A. Robinson | SB 215 | 02/27/2025 | 28th Senatorial District Local Act-1. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Graig Meyer, and Natalie S. Murdock | SB 167 | 02/25/2025 | Revise, Study, and Fund LEP Allotment. |
| Gladys A. Robinson, Graig Meyer, and Natalie S. Murdock | SB 99 | 02/13/2025 | Extended-Year Teacher Contracts. |
