How to testify before the North Carolina legislature

The mechanics of testifying are in the general guide. This page covers what is specific to North Carolina.

How North Carolina does it

The General Assembly does not have one uniform process for public testimony at every committee hearing. Committee chairs set each meeting's agenda, and whether the public may speak, and for how long, is decided hearing by hearing. For select public hearings, the General Assembly opens a Request to Speak portal tied to that specific meeting, where sign-up has historically been capped by number of speakers and time-limited to about two minutes each. On-site sign-up in Raleigh has also been available for some hearings. Because there's no universal deadline, the reliable approach is watching the specific committee's page and the posted meeting notice, which will state whether public comment is allowed and how to sign up. State law requires reasonable public notice of all committee and subcommittee meetings, posted on the General Assembly website, and committees may only take final action in open meetings.

Deadlines and numbers

• Speaking time at hearings using the Request to Speak portal: typically up to 2 minutes per speaker.
• Committee meeting notice: reasonable public notice required, posted on ncleg.gov.
• 2025 long session: adjourned July 31, 2025, with reconvened sessions through April 7, 2026.
• 2026 short session: convenes April 21, 2026, focused on budget adjustments and carryover bills.

Where to go

• Legislative calendar (all chambers): https://www.ncleg.gov/Calendars
• Committees directory: https://www.ncleg.gov/committees
• Request to Speak portal (hearing-specific): https://www.ncleg.gov/RequestToSpeak
• General Assembly homepage: https://www.ncleg.gov/

Whether a routine committee meeting offers remote testimony, versus only select special or joint hearings, isn't confirmed. Check /engage for the current practice on a specific bill.