HB 1339 amends North Dakota law to clarify which licensed ambulance services are exempt from forming rural ambulance service districts. It specifically exempts county-owned, city-owned, jointly operated (with cities/counties), tribal/federal government-owned, hospital-owned, and existing rural ambulance service districts from these requirements. The bill directly affects local ambulance providers by removing a regulatory burden for these specific service types. This is a procedural change to existing code, not a new policy requiring public funding or service expansion.
HB 1595 requires North Dakota pregnancy resource centers receiving state funding to meet specific health care and transparency standards. The bill mandates that funded centers must employ at least one licensed health care provider (like a nurse or physician), provide medically accurate and comprehensive pregnancy counseling, maintain HIPAA-compliant client records, and publish detailed organizational policies. Centers must also submit annual reports to the state including financial data, staff details, client service statistics (like pregnancy tests or ultrasounds provided), and material support given (e.g., diapers, baby supplies). These requirements apply directly to centers receiving state grants for pregnancy-related services. The bill was introduced in 2025 but failed to pass in committee.
Relating to public employee fertility health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.
HB 1478, if enacted, would create new protections in North Dakota law for access to contraceptives. It defines contraceptives broadly (including pills, IUDs, condoms, and patches) while excluding abortion drugs, and guarantees individuals the right to receive, purchase, or use contraception under evidence-based medical guidelines. The bill also protects health care providers who decline to provide contraception based on religious or moral objections, and ensures health insurers cover contraceptive care. It allows lawsuits against state entities that restrict these rights, with penalties including court-ordered relief and attorney fees for successful plaintiffs.
HB 1451 would require North Dakota's medical assistance program (including Medicaid) to cover comprehensive obesity treatment, such as intensive behavioral therapy, bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved antiobesity medications. The bill mandates that coverage criteria for antiobesity medication align with FDA approvals and prohibits separate cost-sharing (like higher deductibles or copays) for obesity treatment compared to other medical conditions. It also requires the state to provide written notice to enrollees about this coverage by December 31, 2025. This bill directly affects Medicaid enrollees in North Dakota seeking obesity-related treatments.
HB 1477 would create new legal protections for fertility care access in North Dakota. It guarantees individuals the right to receive fertility treatments and make decisions about reproductive genetic material, while also protecting health care providers, insurers, and manufacturers from state restrictions on these services. The bill prohibits state agencies or subdivisions from implementing policies that limit access to fertility treatments, except for health/safety regulations that follow established medical guidelines. Violations could trigger civil lawsuits by affected individuals or the attorney general, with courts able to block the restrictive policy and award legal fees to the winning party. This bill directly affects patients seeking fertility care, clinics providing those services, health insurers, and manufacturers of fertility-related products.
Relating to the creation of an abortion approval committee, a framework for abortion, and an emergency medical exception; to amend and reenact sections 12.1‑19.1‑03, 14‑02.1‑02, 14‑02.1‑02.1, 14‑02.1‑02.2, and 14‑02.1‑03, subsection 1 of section 14‑02.1‑03.1, sections 14‑02.1‑05, 14‑02.1‑07, 14‑02.1‑08, 14‑02.1‑09, and 14‑10‑15, and subsection 3 of section 14‑10‑19 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to abortion procedures, consent, and reporting requirements; and to repeal sections 14‑02.1‑03.4, 14‑02.1‑03.5, and 14‑02.1‑04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to abortion restrictions.
HB 1433 would create North Dakota's dementia response program within the Department of Health, administered by a dedicated state dementia coordinator. The program requires developing and updating an Alzheimer's/dementia state plan every three years through a work group including people living with dementia, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations. It also mandates collecting dementia-related data via existing state systems and launching a statewide public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and promote early detection. The bill allocates $250,000 for the program and coordinator position over the 2025-2027 biennium.
HB 1321 amends North Dakota's medical marijuana laws to adjust possession and purchase limits for registered patients and caregivers. It increases the standard monthly purchase limit from 2.5 ounces to 3 ounces (85.05 grams) of smokable cannabis and raises the maximum possession limit from 3 ounces to 4.5 ounces (127.57 grams), with higher "enhanced" limits of 9 ounces (255.15 grams) for patients with cancer-related conditions. The bill also updates registry identification cards to include designations for enhanced limits and requires THC concentration limits of 9,000 milligrams per month for all products. Additionally, it modifies renewal fees for compassion centers, capping them at $90,000 for dispensaries and $110,000 for manufacturing facilities.
HB 1349 proposes capping noneconomic damages (like pain and suffering) in North Dakota health care malpractice lawsuits at $500,000 initially, with scheduled annual increases to $1.5 million (2026), $2 million (2027), and $2.5 million (2028). It directly affects patients filing malpractice claims and healthcare providers facing such lawsuits, while exempting claims involving unborn fetuses. The bill requires courts to reduce jury awards to meet the cap without informing juries of the limit. The legislation failed to pass in the North Dakota legislature on February 7, 2025, with 30 votes in favor and 61 against.
