Local Government Law Bulletin #146

In North Carolina, boards of county commissioners, city councils, and local school boards are required to hold at least one public comment period each month during a regular meeting. Public comment periods serve as a critical part of the governance process. They allow local governments to understand the public’s concerns and perspectives, while affording the public an opportunity to impact local government decision-making. In facilitating a public comment period, local governments must comply with the appropriate statutory requirements and constitutional limitations. However, following statutory and constitutional requirements does not mean that a local government must permit all speech in a public comment period. In fact, doing so might be counterproductive to valuable public conversation. This bulletin aims to help local governments understand the relevant legal protections and limitations so they can conduct meaningful and lawful public comment periods.