GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 967
Short Title: Disorderly Conduct at Voting Places. (Public)
Sponsors: Representative Cotham.
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Election Law, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 14, 2025
*H967 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO CLARIFY THAT PUBLIC BUILDINGS INCLUDE VOTING PLACE S FOR 2
PURPOSES OF THE CRIM E OF DISORDERLY COND UCT IN OR NEAR PUBLIC 3
BUILDINGS. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
SECTION 1. G.S. 14-132 reads as rewritten: 6
"§ 14-132. Disorderly conduct in and injuries to public buildings and facilities. 7
(a) It is a misdemeanor if for any person shall:to do any of the following: 8
(1) Make any rude or riotous noise, or be guilty of engage in any disorderly 9
conduct, in or near any public building or facility; orfacility. 10
(2) Unlawfully write or scribble on, mark, deface, besmear, or injure the walls of 11
any public building or facility, or any statue or monument situated in any 12
public place; orplace. 13
(3) Commit any nuisance in or near any public building or facility. 14
(b) Any person in charge of any public building or facility owned or controlled by the 15
State, any subdivision of the State, or any other public agency shall have authority to arrest 16
summarily and without warrant for a violation of this section. 17
(c) The term "public building or facility" as used in this section includes any building or 18
facility together with the surrounding grounds and premises used in connection with the operation 19
or functioning of such public building or facility which is:is any of the following: 20
(1) One to which the public or a portion of the public has access and is owned or 21
controlled by the State, any subdivision of the State, any other public agency, 22
or any private institution or agency of a charitable, educational, or 23
eleemosynary nature; orphilanthropic nature. 24
(2) Dedicated to the use of the general public for a purpose which is primarily 25
concerned with public recreation, cultural activities, and other events of a 26
public nature or character. 27
(3) Designated by the Director of the State Bureau of Investigation in accordance 28
with G.S. 143B-987. 29
(4) One temporarily in use as a voting place under Chapter 163 of the General 30
Statutes during the hours for voting. 31
The term "building or facility" as used in this section also includes the surrounding grounds and 32
premises of any building or facility used in connection with the operation or functioning of such 33
building or facility. 34 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 967-First Edition
(d) Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater 1
punishment, any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 2 2
misdemeanor." 3
SECTION 2. G.S. 163-166.4(b) reads as rewritten: 4
"(b) Area for Election-Related Activity. – Except as provided in subsection (c) of this 5
section, the county board of elections shall also provide an area adjacent to the buffer zone for 6
each voting place in which persons or groups of persons may distribute campaign literature, place 7
political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election-related activity. It shall be a 8
Class 3 misdemeanor for a person to steal, deface, vandalize, or unlawfully remove political 9
advertising that is lawfully placed under this subsection." 10
SECTION 3. This act becomes effective October 1, 2025, and applies to offenses 11
committed on or after that date. 12