When the North Carolina General Assembly is in session, there are meetings all the time. The Senate meets. The House of Representatives meets. Committees hold a number of gatherings.
Most of these meetings are open to the public, but it can be a challenge to attend in person, especially if you live hours from downtown Raleigh. You can, however, livestream all these sessions!
This page shows the upcoming streaming schedule. It also links to the video and audio archives of the House of Representatives. Senate audio files may be available from the office of the Senate Principal Clerk.
For audio files from committee meetings, click here for more information or send an email to [email protected].
On August 5, the General Assembly concluded its regular legislative business by passing an adjournment resolution. This resolution announces the session dates for the remainder of 2026.
Those dates are
- August 31-September 2
- September 28-30
- October 26-28
- November 16-19
- November 30-December 18
Only certain types of business may be conducted during each of these sessions. The resolution gives full details.
As always, feel free to contact the library (919-733-9390; [email protected]) if you have questions.
Bills. Session laws. Statutes. These are the bread and butter of the General Assembly, the thing we do above all others.
But what are session laws? How do they become statutes? Where do you look for bills, and how can you see whether one has become law?
Check out this three-part series from the Legislative Library!
Have questions? Contact the Library at 919-733-9390 or [email protected].
Lawyers in Your Library is a program that offers free 30-minute sessions with an attorney who can help with issues such as eviction, repairs, landlord–tenant disputes, child custody and support, divorce, and more.
Sessions are held monthly, 9am-12pm, in a different branch of the Wake County Public Library system. Click here for the schedule and more information.
Other legal assistance may be available at the Wake County Legal Support Center.
Need help finding legal resources?
The Durham County Library will be hosting a free law fair on Saturday, March 28. Attendees will be connected with programs and resources for their legal needs, while scheduled panels will provide insight into current legal issues, including constitutional updates and immigration enforcement.
Click here for more information.
Interested in the Tar Heel state’s involvement in the Revolutionary War and our Constitutional Legacy over the last 250+ years?
Check out this fascinating interactive timeline, courtesy of the NC courts system!
FYI, the courts website has many other useful features, such as
- full text Supreme Court and Court of Appeals opinions,
- fillable forms,
- ways to request public records, and
- help topics, such as this one on domestic violence.
November
11/26 CLOSED
11/27 CLOSED
11/28 CLOSED
December
12/24 CLOSED
12/25 CLOSED
12/26 CLOSED
January
1/1 CLOSED
In its history, North Carolina has adopted three state constitutions–one in 1776, one in 1868, and the current version in 1971.
Voters have amended the 1971 constitution over 40 times since then. You can see a list of those amendments here.
The up-to-date text of the current constitution is available here or in the booklet below.
On July 4, the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBA) was passed. It is a law that has implications for all U.S. states.
So what is the OBBBA?
- Full text of the law
- Congressional summary of the law
- Explanation of the law (AP News)
- Explanation of the law (Fox Business)