HB 1178 North Dakota House · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1-07 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to school districts allowing students to leave campus to vote in elections.

HB 1178 requires North Dakota school districts to create policies allowing students who are qualified voters (18+ and registered) to leave campus during school hours to vote in elections. The policy must include conditions like time limits for absence or designated voting periods. This law directly affects high school students eligible to vote, enabling them to participate in elections without missing class. The bill became effective after being signed by the Governor on March 14, 2025. It establishes a concrete requirement for school districts to facilitate student voting access.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Jan 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 7, 2025 Signed Mar 18, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

INTRODUCED Enrollment · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill was formally introduced and moved through the legislative process to enrollment status. The substantive policy content remains unchanged, with the main difference being the addition of official legislative signatures, vote counts, and certification language required for a bill to become law.
TECHNICAL

Added official certification language, vote counts from House and Senate, and signature lines for legislative officers and the Governor.

Removed draft formatting elements including page numbers, bill introduction text, and preliminary legislative assembly headers.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 7, 2025 · House Jan 21, 2025

How they voted

2423
Passed
Total votes 47
Mar 7, 2025
D Democratic5
3 Yea 2 Nay
60% Yea
R Republican42
21 Yea 21 Nay
50% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
7
Committee
4
Mar 19, 2025
Introduced
Filed with Secretary Of State 03/14
legislature
Mar 18, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor 03/14
lower
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Second reading, passed, yeas 24 nays 23
upper
Mar 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported back, do not pass, placed on calendar 6 0 0
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee Hearing 01:30
upper
Feb 13, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Education Committee
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Second reading, passed, yeas 86 nays 1
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported back, do pass, place on calendar 12 0 1
lower
Jan 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Hearing 11:15
lower
Jan 7, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Political Subdivisions Committee
lower
1 primary · 8 co-sponsors

Sponsors