SB 2264 North Dakota Senate · 69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 12.1-23-09, sections 14-02-07, 14-03-01, 14-03-08, 14-05-06, 14-05-18, 14-07-01, 14-07-03, 14-07-04, 14-07-06, 14-07-07, 14-07-08, 14-07-12, 14-07-13, and 14-07-14, subsection 9 of section 14-12.2-28, subsection 4 of section 14-14.1-30, sections 14-15-03, 14-15-20, 14-18-05, 14-18-08, and 20.1-03-06, subsections 8, 28, and 31 of section 20.1-03-12, section 30.1-10-02, subdivision b of subsection 1 of section 30.1-10-04, sections 35-01-04, 47-18-04, 47-18-05, 47-18-14, and 50-25.1-10, subsection 4 of section 54-52.4-02, subsection 2 of section 57-38-31, subsection 5 of section 57-40.3-04, section 57-40.3-07, and subsection 3 of section 57-40.5-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the definition of marriage and the recognition of marital relationships.

SB 2264 amends multiple sections of North Dakota's Century Code to update the legal definition of marriage from "one man and one woman" to "two individuals married to each other." It directly affects all residents by changing how marriage is defined in statutes covering marital rights, divorce procedures, spousal obligations, and recognition of foreign marriages. Key provisions include revising Section 14-03-01 (defining marriage), Section 14-03-08 (recognizing foreign marriages), and Sections 14-07-01 through 14-07-08 (spousal duties and property rights) to use gender-neutral language. The bill does not create new policies but standardizes marriage terminology across the code to reflect a two-person definition. The bill failed to pass in the legislature on January 31, 2025, with 7 votes in favor and 37 against.

Bill status failed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Jan 2025

Senate Failed

Jan 2025

Governor

Introduced Jan 20, 2025 Last action Jan 31, 2025

Floor votes · Senate Jan 31, 2025

How they voted

7–37

Failed · 3 other

Total votes 47

Jan 31, 2025

D Democratic5

5 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican42

2 Yea 37 Nay 3

88% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 31, 2025

Vote failed

Senate Vote: fail (7-37-3)

senate

Jan 30, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported back, do not pass, placed on calendar 6 1 0

upper

Jan 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee Hearing 11:00

upper

Jan 20, 2025

Introduced

Introduced, first reading, referred Judiciary Committee

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors