The Commission is initiating its annual rulemaking process by proposing rules with an effective date of July 1, 2025. Rulemaking is the procedure through which the Commission interprets laws by adopting, amending, or repealing rules. As part of the permanent rulemaking process, the Commission drafts proposed rule language and submits it to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). OAH then publishes the proposed text in the North Carolina Register and notifies interested parties that the Commission has begun the process to amend, adopt, or repeal a rule.
Proposed text will be published on January 15,2025 and can be found on the Commission’s website starting at that time. Once the proposed text is published, interested parties have two opportunities to provide feedback. The first is the public comment period, which lasts 60 days and allows individuals to submit written comments to the Commission. If you would like to submit a written comment, you may submit it to the Rulemaking Coordinator at public.comment@ncrec.gov.
The Commission will accept public comments between January 15, 2025-March 16, 2025. The second opportunity occurs during a public hearing held shortly after the proposed text is published. The public hearing will be held at High Point University, Anne Kerr Ballroom, One N University Parkway, High Point, NC 27260, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, beginning at 9:00AM. During these forums, stakeholders can voice their support for or opposition to the proposed rule.
After the public comment period and public hearing conclude, the Commission reviews all submitted comments and determines whether to amend, adopt, or reject the proposed rule text. The Commission will be reaching their final decision for rulemaking on March 19, 2025. Once the final text is approved by the Rules Review Commission, the Commission will publish the approved rules.