HB 1364 amends North Dakota's legal code to adjust how courts handle partial sentence suspension for individuals who successfully complete specialized court programs. The bill modifies a specific section of the Century Code to allow courts to partially suspend a defendant's sentence upon completion of drug court, mental health court, or veterans treatment dockets. This means participants in these programs may avoid serving the full sentence, potentially reducing prison time or enabling community-based alternatives. The change directly affects defendants in these programs who meet completion requirements, without altering program eligibility or structure.
HB 1205 allows parents or their agents to anonymously leave infants under 60 days old in secure, 24/7 monitored safety devices at designated hospitals or leave them with on-duty staff at approved locations without facing prosecution under certain criminal codes. The bill defines "newborn safety devices" as temperature-controlled, alarm-equipped units visible to staff, and requires hospitals to accept infants without asking for parent information or medical history. It also creates a numbered identification bracelet system to link parents to infants for potential reunification, while guaranteeing confidentiality of parent identities unless the infant was harmed. The law provides immunity to hospitals and staff for accepting infants under these provisions and mandates a public awareness campaign about the program.
SB 2165 amends North Dakota laws governing peace officer licensing, directly affecting current and prospective law enforcement officers. The bill expands the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board's authority to require medical or psychological evaluations of officers for public safety, and allows the board to access medical records without standard privacy restrictions. It also clarifies grounds for license denial or suspension, including felony convictions, domestic violence offenses, use of unjustified force, or false statements during licensing. The bill updates fee structures for applications, renewals, and other licensing actions, and specifies that medical information provided to the board is exempt from typical privacy protections. These changes aim to strengthen licensing oversight while streamlining administrative processes.
This bill (SB 2209) prevents victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse/neglect from being charged for medical exams used to gather crime evidence. It requires North Dakota's Attorney General to reimburse healthcare providers and children's advocacy centers for these exams using a $200,000 state appropriation. The law ensures victims (including children) and their guardians won't face direct billing for forensic exams or preliminary screenings. Evidence collected under this law cannot be used against victims for unrelated offenses. The funding supports domestic violence examiner programs and requires reporting on how funds are used and victim outcomes.
HB 1347 creates a new legal framework for district court supervised treatment programs in North Dakota, directly affecting offenders sentenced to supervised probation. The bill assigns specific roles: the Department of Corrections supervises probation compliance, the Department of Health oversees treatment services using established best practices, and district courts coordinate judicial oversight for specialized dockets. This law formalizes existing practices by defining each agency's responsibilities within court-approved treatment programs. It takes effect upon the Governor's signature, which occurred on March 26, 2025.
HB 1213 establishes a new "Jail Improvement Revolving Loan Fund" administered by the Bank of North Dakota to provide low-interest loans for jail infrastructure projects. It directly affects counties and regional correctional authorities, enabling them to apply for loans (up to $40 million at 2% interest over 30 years) to renovate, expand, or replace aging jail facilities meeting specific cost and capacity criteria. The bill creates a committee to review applications based on factors like inmate occupancy, structure age, and community support, and mandates a $200 million transfer from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund to seed the new loan program for the 2025-2027 biennium. The fund operates as a revolving loan program, with principal and interest repayments replenishing the fund for future projects.
Relating to sentencing alternatives and the sentencing of a defendant to an addiction treatment program for a violation of driving under the influence; and to provide for application.
HB 1061 amends specific sections of North Dakota's victim treatment code (12.1-34-02) to enhance protections for crime victims. The bill directly affects victims of crime and the state agencies responsible for their support services. However, the provided context lacks specific details about the exact changes to subsections 17 and 18 or the concrete mechanisms of the amendments. The bill was enacted after signing by the Governor on March 24, 2025. Without the full text or specific provisions described in the abstract, a detailed summary of the policy changes cannot be provided.
HB 1336 modifies North Dakota law to require courts to issue orders prohibiting contact between defendants and victims in cases involving crimes of violence, stalking, harassment, or sex offenses when defendants are released before trial. These orders must be provided to victims, entered into state and federal crime databases within one business day, and can be modified or terminated by court order upon request. Violating such an order is a class A misdemeanor, and law enforcement must arrest individuals without a warrant if probable cause exists. The bill directly affects victims in these specific criminal cases and defendants released pre-trial, with key changes focusing on mandatory contact orders and electronic database reporting.
HB 1328 amends North Dakota law to change how schools and law enforcement refer students for minor offenses to juvenile court. It requires schools to first try disciplinary measures (like counseling or suspensions) before referring students for non-serious offenses on school property, unless the offense involves drugs, violence, sex crimes, or weapons. The bill also updates the definition of "custodian" to include school staff with legal responsibility for a child. These changes directly affect school officials, law enforcement, and students in North Dakota schools.
