Senate passes bill directing libraries and schools to limit minors' access to explicit material; state's attorney review process draws questions

Senate Bill 2307, which requires public libraries, school districts and some state agencies to develop policies and technology protections to prevent minors’ access to obscene or sexually explicit material, passed the North Dakota Senate 27-20 on Feb. 20, 2025. Senator Paulson carried the bill and presented an amended version that removed a section the committee worried could affect private businesses and added procedures for review and enforcement.

The bill requires local policies for relocating explicit materials to areas “not easily accessible to minors,” creation of a local review committee to consider relocation requests, and a process by which an aggrieved individual can escalate to a county state's attorney. If a state's attorney finds a violation, the public body must take corrective action within 10 days or face withholding of state funds until compliance is verified. The bill also requires school districts and public…