A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact sections 54-66-01 and 54-66-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an exception to the prohibition against gifts for legislator attendance at an out-of-state educational event.

This bill would allow North Dakota legislators to attend out-of-state educational events without violating gift prohibitions, provided the events are objectively educational and not designed to influence legislation. It requires legislators to have a good-faith belief the event is educational (based on materials provided) and to leave immediately if they encounter unexpected lobbying efforts at the event. The exception specifically applies to events focused on education, not to activities intended to lobby. This change modifies existing ethics rules to clarify when travel-related expenses for educational purposes would not count as prohibited gifts.