A new bill filed by State Rep. Tricia Ann Cotham in the North Carolina House seeks to clarify legal protections for voting places as public buildings under disorderly conduct statutes, according to the North Carolina State House.
The bill, filed as HB 967 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Disorderly Conduct at Voting Places.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill clarifies that voting places are considered public buildings for purposes of the crime of disorderly conduct. It specifies that engaging in disorderly behavior such as making rude or riotous noise, defacing property, or committing nuisances in or near any public building is a misdemeanor offense. The definition of “public building or facility” is expanded to include buildings used temporarily as voting places under the relevant state statutes. The bill also specifies areas adjacent to voting places for permissible election-related activities, with any vandalism of political advertising being classified as a separate misdemeanor. The act is effective Oct. 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed on or after that date.
Cotham proposed another 48 bills 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.
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.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 967 | 04/10/2025 | Disorderly Conduct at Voting Places. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Allen Chesser, and Dennis Riddell | HB 905 | 04/10/2025 | Public School Part-Time Enrollment. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Becky Carney, and Brandon Lofton | HB 944 | 04/10/2025 | Fund Community Health Svcs/Mecklenburg County. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 945 | 04/10/2025 | Reporting of Sexual Assault on School Buses. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, and Cecil Brockman | HB 946 | 04/10/2025 | Montessori Teaching License. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, and Cecil Brockman | HB 947 | 04/10/2025 | Every Child Reads. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham | HB 948 | 04/10/2025 | The P.A.V.E. Act. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 985 | 04/10/2025 | Increase Punishment for Assaulting Teachers. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham and Brian Biggs | HB 986 | 04/10/2025 | Support Our Teachers. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, Dean Arp, and Jennifer Balkcom | HB 883 | 04/09/2025 | Support Students with Disabilities Act. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Donna McDowell White, and Zack Hawkins | HB 810 | 04/07/2025 | State Employee Bereavement Leave/Up To 40-Hrs. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Jeff Zenger, Mark Brody, and Matthew Winslow | HB 768 | 04/03/2025 | Clarify Emerg. Comm. Exemptions/Fire Code. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Heather H. Rhyne | HB 773 | 04/03/2025 | School Performance Grade Changes. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, Donny Lambeth, and Ray Pickett | HB 774 | 04/03/2025 | School Breakfast for All. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Neal Jackson | HB 775 | 04/03/2025 | Criminal History Checks for School Positions. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, David Willis, and Jake Johnson | HB 705 | 04/02/2025 | Study CTE Licensure Requirements. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham, Donny Lambeth, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 710 | 04/02/2025 | Mental Health Crisis Unit Pilot for LSAUs. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 744 | 04/02/2025 | Fertility Preservation Pilot Program. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Becky Carney, Bill Ward, and Stephen M. Ross | HB 657 | 04/01/2025 | Duke’s Rescue Act. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 671 | 04/01/2025 | Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Pilot. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Allen Chesser, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 680 | 04/01/2025 | The Protect Children from Cannabis Act. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Jonathan L. Almond, Rodney D. Pierce, and Zack Hawkins | HB 688 | 04/01/2025 | Funds for Inclusive Playgrounds. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, Erin Paré, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 610 | 03/31/2025 | Study on Year-Round School. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Erin Paré, Heather H. Rhyne, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 611 | 03/31/2025 | Increase APs in Public Schools. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Beth Helfrich, Charles Smith, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 635 | 03/31/2025 | Increase Access to Fertility Treatment. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Hugh Blackwell | HB 566 | 03/27/2025 | Principal Fellows Changes. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham and Todd Carver | HB 573 | 03/27/2025 | Remove Testing Requirement for Teacher Lisc. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Erin Paré, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 523 | 03/26/2025 | School Social Workers/Master’s Pay. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Allen Buansi, Frank Iler, and Renée A. Price | HB 513 | 03/25/2025 | Strengthen Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham and Laura Budd | HB 504 | 03/24/2025 | Pilot Co-Responder Police Program. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Allen Chesser, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Jeffrey C. McNeely | HB 468 | 03/20/2025 | Regulate Kratom Products. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Charles W. Miller, Jerry “Alan” Branson, and Rodney D. Pierce | HB 466 | 03/19/2025 | Birthplace of Am. Independence Special Plate. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Donna McDowell White, Karl E. Gillespie, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 433 | 03/18/2025 | Registered Nurses in Schools. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Grant L. Campbell, MD, John R. Bell, IV, and Timothy Reeder, MD | HB 434 | 03/18/2025 | Lower Healthcare Costs. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham, Dean Arp, and Keith Kidwell | HB 451 | 03/18/2025 | Diabetes Education for Parents. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, David Willis, and Ray Pickett | HB 414 | 03/17/2025 | 1-to-1 Credit for Career and College Promise. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham and Sarah Stevens | HB 426 | 03/17/2025 | Workforce Diploma Program. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham and Donny Lambeth | HB 397 | 03/13/2025 | Use of Epinephrine Nasal Spray. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Ray Pickett, Ya Liu, and Zack Hawkins | HB 378 | 03/11/2025 | Leon’s Law (Dual Enrollment Info Parents). |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham, Larry W. Potts, and Mitchell S. Setzer | HB 343 | 03/10/2025 | Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Carla D. Cunningham, and Matthew Winslow | HB 314 | 03/05/2025 | Removal of Squatters from Private Property. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brandon Lofton, Mary Belk, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 265 | 03/03/2025 | SchCalFlex/Char-Meck/CC. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Donny Lambeth, Erin Paré, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 192 | 02/25/2025 | Salary Adjustments and Budget Offsets. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Erin Paré, Grant L. Campbell, MD, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 76 | 02/10/2025 | Protect Access to In Vitro Fertilization. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Allen Chesser, and Charles W. Miller | HB 50 | 02/04/2025 | LEO Special Separation Allowance Options. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, A. Reece Pyrtle, Jr., Charles W. Miller, and Kelly E. Hastings | HB 52 | 02/04/2025 | Protect Those Who Serve & Protect Act of 2025. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Echevarria, Erin Paré, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 59 | 02/04/2025 | Modify Homestead Exclusions. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Brian Biggs, Donny Lambeth, and Larry W. Potts | HB 60 | 02/04/2025 | Modernize Medicaid Dental Rates. |
| Tricia Ann Cotham, Donny Lambeth, Jeff Zenger, and Kyle Hall | HB 34 | 02/03/2025 | Establish Larceny of Mail Offense. |
