Relating to transparent sentencing of criminal offenders, transfer of persons between correctional facilities, work release eligibility and conditions for criminal offenders, sentences for assaulting and fleeing from law enforcement officers, and sentences for preventing arrest; to provide a legislative management report; to provide a penalty; and to provide for application.
SB 2165 amends North Dakota laws governing peace officer licensing, directly affecting current and prospective law enforcement officers. The bill expands the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board's authority to require medical or psychological evaluations of officers for public safety, and allows the board to access medical records without standard privacy restrictions. It also clarifies grounds for license denial or suspension, including felony convictions, domestic violence offenses, use of unjustified force, or false statements during licensing. The bill updates fee structures for applications, renewals, and other licensing actions, and specifies that medical information provided to the board is exempt from typical privacy protections. These changes aim to strengthen licensing oversight while streamlining administrative processes.
HB 1415 amends North Dakota law to explicitly exempt work schedule records of employees in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and law enforcement agencies from public disclosure. This means these specific scheduling records, which were previously subject to public records requests, will no longer be accessible to the public under state law. The bill directly affects corrections and law enforcement staff by shielding their work schedules from transparency requests. The change clarifies and codifies an existing exemption within the state's public records statute.
SB 2096 provides $5 million for renovating state hospital buildings to serve individuals with mental illness under correctional custody, involuntary commitment, or court-ordered forensic exams. It also appropriates $100 million to establish four regional acute psychiatric treatment and residential supportive housing services across North Dakota. The funds will allow the Department of Health and Human Services to build up to 24-bed facilities in each region or contract with private providers for these services. The bill directly affects individuals requiring acute psychiatric care and supportive housing, with funding allocated for the 2025-2027 biennium.
HB 1217 repeals North Dakota's section 12.1-20-17 of the Century Code, which previously made it a crime to willfully transfer body fluids containing HIV. This procedural bill removes an existing criminal penalty related to HIV transmission through body fluids. The repeal directly affects individuals who might have faced prosecution under this specific law. The bill was signed into law by the Governor on March 19, 2025.
This bill changes how North Dakota classifies petty theft of property worth $500 or less. For first offenses, it makes such theft a class B misdemeanor (a misdemeanor penalty) if committed through shoplifting or if specific conditions are met (e.g., no threat, deception in a fiduciary relationship, or the defendant not being a public servant or financial employee). Repeat offenses within specified timeframes escalate penalties: second/third offenses become class A misdemeanors, and fourth or subsequent offenses become class C felonies. Courts must also provide written notice to defendants about potential enhanced penalties for repeat offenses under this law.
HB 1411 prohibits North Dakota state agencies, courts, and political subdivisions from adopting, implementing, or enforcing "extreme risk protection provisions" - rules or court orders that temporarily restrict firearm access for individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others. The bill explicitly bans such provisions (excluding domestic violence or mental health orders) and states that violating this prohibition is a class B felony. It also prevents state agencies from using public funds to support any related enforcement. This bill directly affects courts, law enforcement, and state agencies by blocking the implementation of "red flag" laws at the state level.
HB 1337 would provide $10 million in state funds to counties for mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for people in jail. The bill requires counties receiving grants to report annually on how funds were used and outcomes, and the health department to submit a summary report to lawmakers by 2026. This funding would cover the 2025-2027 biennium and aim to expand access to mental health care for incarcerated individuals.
HB 1301 would require North Dakota courts to explicitly prohibit probationers from possessing firearms, destructive devices, or dangerous weapons as a standard condition of probation, except for specific first-time misdemeanor offenses under certain sections (like minor traffic violations or low-level drug offenses) if the court makes a documented finding of "good cause" to waive the ban. It also adds new probation conditions like community service, electronic monitoring, and strict rules against failing urine tests, while prohibiting firearm bans for most other misdemeanors. The bill applies to all probation sentences imposed after its effective date. This would directly affect individuals on probation for most crimes, limiting their access to firearms unless specific legal exceptions apply.
Relating to the costs of a defendant's prosecution, the cost of a presentence investigation and report, reimbursement of indigent defense costs and expenses, the fee for the indigent defense services application, the court administration fee, and the community service supervision fee; to repeal sections 12.1‑32‑02.2, 27‑01‑10, 27‑05.2‑08, 27‑05.2‑09, and 27‑05.2‑10 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to repayment of rewards paid by crimestoppers programs, the fee for crime victim and witness programs, and the court facilities improvement and maintenance fund; and to provide for application.
