HB 1339 amends North Dakota law to clarify which licensed ambulance services are exempt from forming rural ambulance service districts. It specifically exempts county-owned, city-owned, jointly operated (with cities/counties), tribal/federal government-owned, hospital-owned, and existing rural ambulance service districts from these requirements. The bill directly affects local ambulance providers by removing a regulatory burden for these specific service types. This is a procedural change to existing code, not a new policy requiring public funding or service expansion.
Relating to public employee fertility health benefits; to provide for a report to the legislative assembly; to provide for application; and to provide an expiration date.
Relating to the statewide property tax levy of one mill for support of the state medical center at the University of North Dakota; and to provide an effective date.
HB 1478, if enacted, would create new protections in North Dakota law for access to contraceptives. It defines contraceptives broadly (including pills, IUDs, condoms, and patches) while excluding abortion drugs, and guarantees individuals the right to receive, purchase, or use contraception under evidence-based medical guidelines. The bill also protects health care providers who decline to provide contraception based on religious or moral objections, and ensures health insurers cover contraceptive care. It allows lawsuits against state entities that restrict these rights, with penalties including court-ordered relief and attorney fees for successful plaintiffs.
HB 1433 would create North Dakota's dementia response program within the Department of Health, administered by a dedicated state dementia coordinator. The program requires developing and updating an Alzheimer's/dementia state plan every three years through a work group including people living with dementia, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations. It also mandates collecting dementia-related data via existing state systems and launching a statewide public awareness campaign to reduce stigma and promote early detection. The bill allocates $250,000 for the program and coordinator position over the 2025-2027 biennium.
HB 1349 proposes capping noneconomic damages (like pain and suffering) in North Dakota health care malpractice lawsuits at $500,000 initially, with scheduled annual increases to $1.5 million (2026), $2 million (2027), and $2.5 million (2028). It directly affects patients filing malpractice claims and healthcare providers facing such lawsuits, while exempting claims involving unborn fetuses. The bill requires courts to reduce jury awards to meet the cap without informing juries of the limit. The legislation failed to pass in the North Dakota legislature on February 7, 2025, with 30 votes in favor and 61 against.
