North Carolina Rep. Cotham’s PAVE Act to enhance Mecklenburg public transportation passes House and Senate

Passed bill sponsored by State Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham aims to enhance public transportation infrastructure and financing in Mecklenburg County through the creation of a regional transit authority and revised sales tax measures, according to the North Carolina State House.

In the House, 46 Democrats and 58 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while five Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 19 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while three Republicans voted against it.

Cotham filed the bill in the North Carolina House on April 10 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as HB 948, was passed on June 26 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: “The P.A.V.E. Act.”

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

In essence, this bill, titled the Projects for Advancing Vehicle-Infrastructure Enhancements (PAVE) Act, establishes measures to enhance public transportation in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. It revises the county’s sales tax system for public transportation, permits levying an additional one percent sales and use tax for financing both road and public transportation systems, and emphasizes that all tax increases must receive voter approval via referendum. The bill mandates the creation of a Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority to oversee regional transit operations, which will have the authority to gather and use new tax funds, including financing the expansion of rail projects like the Red Line. The act outlines specific administrative, organizational, financial, and enforcement powers for the authority, aiming to improve the resilience and technological capability of transportation infrastructure. It allows for the refinancing of debts and the reassignment of municipal transit assets to the new authority, subject to Federal Transit Administration approval. The bill is effective upon becoming law, with specific sections becoming operational contingent on certain actions by the county, such as tax imposition.

The bill was sponsored only by Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican-105th 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.

Cotham graduated from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte with a BA.

Cotham, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 105th House district, replacing previous state representative Wesley Harris.