HB 1151 North Dakota House · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

AN ACT to provide for a legislative management study regarding the regulation of cell-cultured protein.

HB 1151 prohibits businesses from misrepresenting cell-cultured protein (lab-grown food from animal cells without slaughter) as meat. It requires clear labeling as "cell-cultured food product" and bans packaging that could confuse consumers into thinking it is meat. The law directly affects food producers and sellers of cell-cultured products in North Dakota. It repeals an outdated section of law about misrepresentation, making the new labeling rules the current standard. The bill became law after the governor signed it on April 23, 2025.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

Signed into Law

Apr 2025

Introduced Jan 7, 2025 Signed Apr 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

FIRST ENGROSSMENT → Enrollment · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a substantive law that would have prohibited and regulated cell-cultured protein labeling to a legislative management study directing officials to research the topic. Instead of immediately banning or regulating lab-grown meat products, the bill now requires a study during the 2025-26 legislative interim to analyze litigation, regulatory landscapes, and feasibility of future action.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from immediate regulatory enforcement to a research and study project. It no longer establishes specific legal prohibitions or definitions for cell-cultured protein products.

REQUIREMENT

Removed specific legal prohibitions against advertising, selling, or mislabeling cell-cultured protein as meat food products.

DEFINITION

Removed detailed definitions for terms like 'cell-cultured protein,' 'deceptively similar packaging,' and 'meat food product' that were previously in the bill.

TIMELINE

Added a requirement for legislative management to conduct a study during the 2025-26 legislative interim.

SCOPE

Added a mandate to analyze federal and state litigation, regulatory landscapes, stakeholder impacts, and feasibility of future prohibition.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed provisions that would have amended North Dakota Century Code sections 4.1-31-05.1 and 19-02.1-12.1 regarding misbranding.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 26, 2025 · House Apr 14, 2025

How they voted

46–1

Passed

Total votes 47

Mar 26, 2025

D Democratic5

5 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican42

41 Yea 1 Nay

97% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 25, 2025

Introduced

Filed with Secretary Of State 04/23

legislature

Apr 24, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by Governor 04/23

lower

Apr 16, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee report adopted

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (House accept)

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Second reading, passed, yeas 84 nays 10

lower

Apr 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference committee report adopted

lower

Apr 11, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported back from conference committee, placed on calendar (House accept)

lower

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Conference committee appointed Lemm Myrdal Weston

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Conference committee appointed K. Anderson Henderson S. Olson

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 46 nays 1

upper

Mar 25, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 6 0 0

upper

Mar 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee Hearing 09:15

upper

Feb 20, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Second reading, passed, yeas 91 nays 0

lower

Feb 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amendment adopted, placed on calendar

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 0 3

lower

Jan 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee Hearing 04:00

lower

Jan 7, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Agriculture Committee

lower

1 primary · 9 co-sponsors