AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 44-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the exempt status of records related to petitions in possession of the secretary of state.

HB 1158 creates a new exemption for petition records held by North Dakota's Secretary of State. It makes records related to petitions for initiatives or referendums confidential until the Secretary either approves the petition's sufficiency under state law or 35 days pass after receiving the records. This directly affects petitioners and the Secretary of State's office by delaying public access to these documents during the initial review period. The law changes transparency rules but does not alter how petitions are submitted or processed.