Judiciary

House Bill 1300 proposes to establish term limits for members of the North Dakota Legislature. It aims to create a new section within chapter 54-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, which governs legislative procedures. This change would directly affect individuals serving in or seeking to serve in the state legislature by limiting their potential tenure. The provided information does not specify the exact number of terms or years for these proposed limits.

This bill (SB 2326) amends specific sections of North Dakota's legal code related to sexual assault restraining orders and domestic violence protection orders. It focuses on updating the application process for these protective orders but does not specify the exact procedural changes in the provided abstract. The summary lacks details on who is directly affected or the key mechanisms of the amendment. Without additional context on the specific code changes, a detailed summary of policy impacts cannot be provided. The bill appears procedural, relating to the legal framework for obtaining these orders.

SB 2321 would require government entities (such as states, cities, or public utilities) to pay property owners' legal costs if they withdraw or dismiss eminent domain cases without the owner's agreement. It specifically mandates reimbursement for attorney fees, expert witness fees, and court costs incurred during proceedings. The bill also clarifies that property owners who lose on appeal may still be ordered to pay appeal-related costs. This directly affects landowners facing government land seizures and the government agencies pursuing them.

SB 2206 changes North Dakota law regarding civil lawsuits involving commercial motor carriers (like trucking companies) and safety belt usage. It reduces the statute of limitations for certain injury or death claims from three years to two years and caps non-economic damages (like pain and suffering) at $500,000 per case against these carriers. The bill also clarifies that failing to wear a safety belt in a vehicle, as required by law, cannot be used as direct evidence of negligence in court but may reduce awarded damages by up to 1% if proven to have contributed to the injury. These changes apply specifically to civil actions arising from commercial motor vehicle operations.

Relating to restrictions on adult-oriented performances; to amend and reenact section 12.1‑27.1‑12 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to state pre‑emption of local laws regulating obscenity; and to provide a penalty.