1. Drafting of Bills A bill is a proposed law that can be drafted by any competent person, often by the Legislative Services Commission. 2. Introduction of Bills Only a member of the General Assembly can introduce the bill, which is referred to as the bill's sponsor. The bill is read aloud during a daily session, marking its first reading. 3. Reference to Committee The bill is assigned to a committee for study and recommendation. If approved, it is placed on the calendar for further consideration. 4. Consideration by First House The bill is discussed, and members may debate it. A vote is taken after the debate; if favorable, it passes to the third reading. 5. Consideration by Second House After passing the first house, the bill goes to the second house, where it undergoes a similar process of committee review, debate, and voting. 6. Concurrence in Amendments If the second house amends the bill, it is sent back to the first house for agreement. If there are disagreements, a conference committee may be formed to reconcile the differences. 7. Enrollment, Ratification, and Publication Once both houses agree, the bill is enrolled and signed by the presiding officers. It is then presented to the Governor for approval or veto. If signed or if no action is taken, it becomes law. If vetoed, it can be overridden by a 3/5 vote in both houses. After the bill becomes law, it is given a chapter number and published in the "Session Laws of North Carolina."

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in North Carolina by: 1. Drafting an Idea: Any competent person can draft a bill, so individuals can develop their ideas into formal proposals for laws. 2. Contacting Legislators: The public can suggest their ideas to members of the General Assembly. While only legislators can introduce bills, citizens can work with them to present ideas that they believe should be turned into legislation. 3. Attending Committee Meetings: Once a bill is introduced and referred to a committee, individuals can attend committee meetings to observe discussions and provide feedback. They may even have opportunities to testify or provide public comments on the bill. 4. Advocating for Change: Engaging with elected representatives, voicing opinions, and participating in advocacy efforts through organizations or grassroots movements can help influence the legislative process. 5. Staying Informed: Keeping track of which bills are being introduced and discussed can help the public understand what issues are currently being addressed and how they can contribute or take action. 6. Participating in Voting: Citizens can participate in the democratic process by voting for representatives who align with their views on legislative matters.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in North Carolina every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
• automated reporting
• team collaboration
• bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
• bill similarity detection
• ...and much more

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.