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.
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.
HB 1217 repeals North Dakota's section 12.1-20-17 of the Century Code, which previously made it a crime to willfully transfer body fluids containing HIV. This procedural bill removes an existing criminal penalty related to HIV transmission through body fluids. The repeal directly affects individuals who might have faced prosecution under this specific law. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on March 19, 2025.
This bill changes how North Dakota classifies petty theft of property worth $500 or less. For first offenses, it makes such theft a class B misdemeanor (a misdemeanor penalty) if committed through shoplifting or if specific conditions are met (e.g., no threat, deception in a fiduciary relationship, or the defendant not being a public servant or financial employee). Repeat offenses within specified timeframes escalate penalties: second/third offenses become class A misdemeanors, and fourth or subsequent offenses become class C felonies. Courts must also provide written notice to defendants about potential enhanced penalties for repeat offenses under this law.
This bill amends North Dakota Century Code Section 12.1-32-06.1 to clarify that supervised probation begins only after a court's alternative sentencing order becomes final, not immediately upon sentencing. It directly affects individuals sentenced to probation instead of incarceration, ensuring probation supervision starts once the court order is confirmed. The key change delays the probation start date until the court's order is officially effective, resolving ambiguity in the prior law. This is a technical procedural adjustment to sentencing timing, not a substantive policy shift.
