Relating to the powers of a board of county commissioners, a board of city commissioners, and a city council regarding development by a foreign country of concern or foreign organization of concern, prohibiting ownership of real property by a foreign country of concern or a foreign organization of concern, and required filings for foreign persons investing in agricultural lands; to repeal section 47‑10.1‑05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to required filings for foreign persons investing in agricultural lands; to provide for a legislative management report; to provide a penalty; to provide a contingent effective date; and to provide an expiration date.
SB 2389 would direct North Dakota's legislative management to study the state's child care infrastructure during the 2025-26 interim. The study would examine child care availability, affordability, public funding (including reimbursement rates and grant programs), and licensing processes across all counties. It aims to identify strengths, challenges, and policy improvements to inform future legislation. The bill failed to pass in February 2025, so no study has been conducted.
SB 2131 would change how North Dakota distributes state funds to workforce training centers. It requires the state board to allocate 60% of funding equally among all centers, 20% based on each center's average annual training hours over the prior three years, and 20% based on each center's average number of unique participants over the same period. The bill directly affects all designated workforce training centers in the state by altering their funding formula. The bill was introduced in 2025 but failed to pass the legislature on February 17, 2025, with 16 votes in favor and 29 against.
HB 1256 would allocate $75,000 from North Dakota's general fund as one-time funding for the Parks and Recreation Department to provide grants for walking trail expansion projects. The bill specifically targets rural communities experiencing significant population growth during the 2025-2027 biennium. It directs the department to award grants for trail projects that improve recreational access in these growing areas. This is a procedural funding bill with no other substantive policy changes.
Relating to the prohibition against using voting systems in certain elections; and to amend and reenact sections 16.1‑06‑12, 16.1‑06‑14, and 16.1‑06‑15 and subsection 1 of section 16.1‑06‑26 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to election security and validation.
HB 1287 proposes new rules for voter registration in North Dakota, directly affecting all eligible voters and election officials. It expands registration opportunities by allowing mail-in registration (except 30 days before elections), in-person registration at county auditor offices, and registration when applying for or renewing a driver's license, changing address on a license, or accessing public assistance. The bill requires registration forms to include basic personal details (name, address, date of birth) but prohibits noting political party affiliation. It also establishes permanent registration once completed, with the secretary of state setting standard forms and procedures for the central voter file.
HCR 3022 is a non-binding resolution directing North Dakota's Legislative Management to study whether local governments (such as counties and cities) should invest public funds in stablecoins. The proposed study would examine security risks, financial oversight, stakeholder input, and practical considerations like cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. It does not authorize any investments but would gather data to inform future policy decisions. The resolution failed to pass in February 2025 after a vote of 15-75.
HB 1239 protects digital asset mining operations in North Dakota by preventing local governments from banning or restricting them in residential areas (if noise rules are followed) or imposing stricter rules than for other commercial businesses. It exempts blockchain-related activities - like operating nodes, mining, or developing blockchain software - from requiring a money transmitter license. The bill defines key terms such as "digital asset" (including cryptocurrencies and NFTs) and "digital asset mining" (using computers to validate blockchain transactions). These provisions directly affect miners, blockchain businesses, and local zoning authorities by creating clear regulatory boundaries for the industry.
Relating to the prohibition of, investigation of, and penalty for approving a development agreement in the state for a foreign adversary; to amend and reenact sections 11‑11‑70 and 40‑05‑26 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the investigation of and penalty for approving a development agreement in the state for a foreign adversary; and to provide a penalty.
HB 1593 would require websites and online platforms (excluding news organizations) to verify users are 18+ before accessing sexual material deemed harmful to minors. It defines such material as content appealing to prurient interests, depicting sexual acts, or lacking literary/artistic value for minors, and mandates "reasonable age verification" methods like ID checks. Platforms failing this verification could face civil lawsuits from parents or individuals whose data was improperly retained, seeking damages, injunctions, or attorney fees. The bill explicitly excludes news-gathering organizations and internet service providers from liability for merely hosting content they don’t create. The bill failed to pass in the North Dakota legislature on February 17, 2025.
HCR 3026 is a symbolic resolution passed by the North Dakota legislature urging the U.S. Congress and President to pursue diplomatic talks for Greenland’s peaceful annexation as a U.S. territory. It cites Greenland’s strategic Arctic location, natural resources, and existing U.S.-Greenland cooperation (like Thule Air Base) as justification, though Greenland is currently an autonomous territory within Denmark. The resolution requests diplomatic engagement with Greenland and Denmark to explore voluntary integration while respecting Greenlandic rights. It failed to advance in the North Dakota Senate (36-54 vote against adoption) and has no legal effect, as it is a non-binding request for federal action.
HB 1242 would establish a legal presumption that shared parenting (joint decisionmaking on major issues like education and health, plus approximately equal time with each parent) serves children's best interests in custody cases. This presumption applies unless a court finds specific exceptions, such as evidence of child harm, domestic violence involving serious injury or weapons, or sexual abuse. The bill requires courts to document specific reasons when overriding this presumption and mandates supervised parenting time for abusive parents in domestic violence cases. It directly affects parents in custody disputes and North Dakota courts handling parental rights decisions.
