Joe Hackney (born September 23, 1945, in Chatham County, North Carolina) served for 16 terms (32 years) as a Democratic member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from the state's fifty-fourth House district, including constituents in Chatham, Orange, and Moore counties.

He was embroiled in a controversy during his tenure as Speaker when, on July 9, 2010, he relieved pastor Ron Baity of his duties as honorary chaplain of the House over the content of a prayer.

[6] Hackney served as President of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) for a one-year term starting in July 2008.

NCSL advocates on behalf of states before Congress and the federal administration and provides professional development opportunities for legislative staff.

[8] Hackney has been consistently rated in the top ten for effectiveness (out of 120) by peers in the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research survey, when the House is in Democratic control.