Rep. Balkcom files hate crimes prevention bill in North Carolina House

A new bill filed by State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom seeks to increase penalties for felonies motivated by bias against specific victim traits, according to the North Carolina State House.

The bill, filed as HB 961 on April 10 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Criminal Intent Sentence Enhancement.’

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 Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” establishes a sentence enhancement for felony offenses committed based on certain victim characteristics. If a person is convicted of a felony and it is determined that the crime was motivated by the victim’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, nationality, country of origin, or gender, the offender will face sentencing at a felony class level one class higher than the primary felony conviction. The state must prove this motivation beyond a reasonable doubt during the trial unless the defendant pleads guilty. Additionally, the bill amends an existing statute to include gender as a characteristic for aggravating factors in sentencing. This act will be effective Dec. 1, 2025, for offenses committed on or after that date.

Of the four sponsors of this bill, Balkcom proposed the most bills (40) 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.

Balkcom graduated from Blue Ridge Community College in 2016 with an AA.

Balkcom, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 117th House district, replacing previous state representative Timothy Moffitt.