North Carolina Sen. Overcash’s bill on Catawba Indian Nation rights passes House and Senate

Passed bill sponsored by State Sen. Brad Overcash seeks to extend legal recognitions and law enforcement authorities to the Catawba Indian Nation, aligning them with rights granted to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

In the House, 44 Democrats and 61 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while one Democrat and three Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, five Democrats and 24 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 13 Democrats and five Republicans voted against it.

Overcash filed the bill in the North Carolina Senate on March 25 during the 2025 regular session.

The legislation, known as SB 655, was passed on June 18 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: “Extend Certain Rights to Catawba Nation.”

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

In essence, this bill extends certain rights and recognitions given to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to the Catawba Indian Nation. It mandates that judgments, decrees, and orders from Catawba Nation Tribal Courts receive full faith and credit from the state, similar to other states’ courts. The bill acknowledges Catawba law enforcement officers and establishes their jurisdiction within Catawba trust lands, while prohibiting jurisdictional overlap between Cherokee and Catawba officers without specific agreements. The Catawba Nation is also authorized to establish its own probation and parole agency with similar powers and territorial jurisdiction to Cherokee law enforcement officers. Furthermore, the Catawba Nation becomes eligible for state programs and funding allocations previously directed to other counties, while taxes and certain statutory provisions applicable to tribal lands are extended to them. Effective July 1, 2025, the Catawba Indian Nation is also recognized for issuing special vehicle registration plates to its members.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Danny Earl Britt, Jr. (Republican-24th District), Sen. W. Ted Alexander (Republican-44th District), and Sen. Brad Overcash (Republican-43rd 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.

Overcash graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a BA and again from University of Mississippi with a JD.

Overcash, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2023 to represent the state’s 43rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Kathy Harrington.

Under North Carolina law, bills must receive three readings in each chamber. According to the UNC School of Government, once a bill “passes its constitutionally required second reading and moves to its constitutionally required third reading,” additional debate can occur, but the final stage is often treated as a formality. Unless a legislator requests a roll-call, the third reading may be approved by voice vote or unanimous consent without a separate recorded tally.