Rep. Brown files bill in North Carolina House to revise health care facility obstruction laws

A new bill filed by State Rep. Kanika Brown in the North Carolina House seeks to strengthen protections against obstructing access to health care services and facilities, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 452 on March 18 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Revise Law/Obstruction of Health Facility.’

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

In essence, this bill revises the criminal offense of obstructing health care facilities by prohibiting actions that obstruct or delay access to health care services. It specifies that no person may obstruct access to or from a health care facility, injure, or threaten to injure individuals obtaining, aiding in obtaining, or providing health care services. Additionally, the bill prohibits knowingly approaching within 8 feet of another person near health care facility entrances for protest or counseling without consent. Violations are classed as misdemeanors, escalating to a felony for repeated offenses. The bill takes effect Dec. 1, 2025.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Carla D. Cunningham proposed the most bills (19) 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.

Brown, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 71st House district, replacing previous state representative Evelyn Terry.