Handbook·State government

How to testify before the North Dakota legislature

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

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

How North Dakota does it

North Dakota runs one of the most accessible state legislatures in the country: any citizen may testify on any bill before a committee, and hearings are informal. You can walk into a committee room at any time, even mid-hearing, and both live and archived video are posted on the legislative branch website. To testify remotely or submit written testimony, use the "Submit Testimony" link attached to each hearing on the committee hearing schedule page. Registration asks for your name, the agenda item, your position (support, oppose, or neutral), and lets you upload a written statement. Remote oral testimony is delivered through a Zoom Webinar system, with a walkthrough video posted alongside written instructions. There's no published fixed time limit per speaker. The official guidance just asks speakers to be brief and avoid repeating what others already said, since committees can run out of time if turnout is heavy. If that happens, you can still submit testimony in writing even without an oral slot.

The Legislative Assembly meets in regular session only in odd-numbered years, generally starting the second Tuesday in January, with an 80-natural-day constitutional cap spread across the two-year biennium.

Deadlines and numbers

  • Testimony sign-up and submission deadline: 1 hour before the hearing.
  • Session cadence: regular session convenes only in odd-numbered years.
  • Session length cap: 80 natural days per biennium.
  • Next regular session: 70th Legislative Assembly, January 2027.

Where to go