HB 1338 North Dakota House · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

AN ACT to create and enact a new subsection to section 50-25.1-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a determination by the department of health and human services of an individual's military status in child abuse and neglect assessments.

HB 1338 requires North Dakota's Department of Health and Human Services to determine if an individual involved in a child abuse or neglect allegation is military-connected during investigations. If the individual is military-affiliated, the department must notify the nearest military installation's family advocacy program about the case. This directly affects military-connected parents, guardians, or caregivers in child welfare cases across the state. The law creates a specific procedural step to coordinate child welfare investigations with military support services.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Signed Mar 21, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

FIRST ENGROSSMENT Enrollment · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill adds a new requirement for North Dakota's Department of Health and Human Services to determine military status at the start of child abuse or neglect assessments. When abuse allegations involve military-affiliated individuals, the department must notify the nearest military installation's family advocacy program, which then reports data to the federal Department of Defense. The bill also defines 'military-affiliated individual' to include active military personnel and their dependents, and defines 'military status' to cover all branches, the National Guard, and the reserves.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of child abuse and neglect assessments by adding a mandatory military status determination requirement and creating a new notification and reporting process for military-affiliated cases.
REQUIREMENT

Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to determine military status at the initiation of any child abuse or neglect assessment

Mandates notification to the nearest military installation's family advocacy program when abuse allegations involve military-affiliated individuals

Requires military installations to report data to the federal Department of Defense

DEFINITION

Defines 'military-affiliated individual' as active military personnel and their dependents

Defines 'military status' to include all military branches, National Guard, and reserves

Floor votes · Senate Mar 13, 2025 · House Feb 17, 2025

How they voted

470
Passed
Total votes 47
Mar 13, 2025
D Democratic5
5 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican42
42 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
16
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Mar 24, 2025
Introduced
Filed with Secretary Of State 03/20
legislature
Mar 21, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor 03/19
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Upper · Passed
Second reading, passed, yeas 47 nays 0
upper
Mar 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported back, do pass, place on calendar 6 0 0
upper
Mar 11, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee Hearing 10:00
upper
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Human Services Committee
upper
Feb 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Second reading, passed, yeas 90 nays 0
lower
Feb 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 11 0 2
lower
Jan 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee Hearing 03:00
lower
Jan 13, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Human Services Committee
lower
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors

Sponsors