House finishes floor actions on multiple bills, passes criminal, education, transportation and administrative measures

The North Dakota House of Representatives completed floor action Monday on more than a dozen bills across criminal justice, education, transportation, administrative and municipal policy. Lawmakers considered each bill on the eleventh order of business and recorded final votes; several measures passed, some failed, and two were re‑referred to the Appropriations Committee for fiscal review.

Major outcomes included unanimous or near‑unanimous passage of several judiciary and education bills: House Bill 13-51 (prohibiting explicit sexually explicit deepfake images and videos and adding penalties) passed 93-0; House Bill 13-36 (orders prohibiting contact and sentencing alternatives) passed 93-0; House Bill 12-63 (petitions to seal criminal records) passed 93-0. The House also passed House Bill 10-27 (transferring administration of the State Fire and Tornado Fund from the Insurance Commissioner to the Office of Management and Budget) on a roll call of 87-5, with committee members noting fiscal and staffing questions for OMB.

Transportation and local government measures cleared the floor: House Bill 15-22 (expanding local authority to allow golf carts on city streets during daytime) passed (86-7). An appropriation request using local funds, House Bill 13-31, was approved 88-5 with an emergency clause to allow project work to begin for a turf field at the North Dakota State College of Science.

Criminal code updates also moved forward. House Bill 13-86, which added “computer‑generated images” to child sexual abuse materials and increased penalties in certain circumstances, passed 91-2 after committee amendment. Members discussed concerns about the potential therapeutic use of such materials by licensed clinicians; committee members said the topic was not discussed in depth, but some members asked for caution in future consideration.

A high‑profile fiscal failure was House Bill 13-78, a proposal to require lenders to pay interest on mortgage escrow accounts; the bill failed on the floor, 14-78, after extended debate about costs to financial institutions and unintended tax reporting consequences for borrowers.

Two bills were re‑referred to appropriations for fiscal consideration after floor passage: House Bill 12-55 (public broadcasting funding restriction) and House Bill 11-93 (a peace officer and correctional officer appreciation grant program); HB 11-93 passed the House 70-23 and was ordered to Appropriations under Rule 3-29.

Votes at a glance (bill — description — final vote — outcome)

- HB 11-82 — appropriation for a Dickey County road/culvert project; House committee recommended do not pass; final vote 6-87 — failed. - HB 13-51 — creates offense for explicit deepfake sexual images/videos and provides penalties and victim protections; final vote 93-0 — passed. - HB 13-36 — allows orders prohibiting contact and expands sentencing alternative language; final vote 93-0 — passed. - HB 15-22 — permits cities to allow daytime golf cart operation by ordinance (with highway exceptions); final vote 86-7 — passed. - HB 13-86 — adds computer‑generated images to child sexual abuse materials statutes and increases penalties for aggravating factors; final vote 91-2 — passed. - HB 10-27 — transfers administration of State Fire and Tornado Fund to OMB; final vote 87-5 — passed. - HB 11-25 — real estate licensing/commission language updates (agency prefile); final vote 93-0 — passed. - HB 13-87 — school closure/segregation options when schools are used as polling places; final vote 85-8 — passed. - HB 11-79 — study on paid time off for 12‑month faculty at ND institutions of higher education; final vote 82-11 — passed as study directive. - HB 12-63 — expands petition to seal criminal records and appeals; final vote 93-0 — passed. - HB 13-34 — designates rhubarb as the state vegetable; final vote 81-11 — passed. - HB 12-55 — restricts public funding for public broadcasting; final vote 61-32 — passed and re‑referred to Appropriations under Rule 3-29. - HB 11-93 — appropriation for peace officer/correctional officer appreciation grants; final vote 70-23 — passed and re‑referred to Appropriations under Rule 3-29. - HB 13-31 — authorization to spend local funds for turf field at North Dakota State College of Science; final vote 88-5 with emergency clause — passed and emergency clause carried. - HB 13-78 — requires payment of interest on escrow accounts for residential mortgages; final vote 14-78 — failed. - HB 12-46 — authorizes nonresident coroners or other designated persons to act in absence of a coroner; final vote 82-11 — passed.

Several committee chairs provided fiscal notes and committee recommendations on the floor; where committees recommended “do not pass,” the House sometimes adhered to the recommendation (HB 11-82 failed) and sometimes overrode it and advanced the bill (HB 12-55). A number of bills that passed on final action were sent to Appropriations for detailed fiscal review before any appropriation or implementation steps.

Ending: The House adjourned until 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. Bills referred to Appropriations will await that committee’s fiscal review and any subsequent amendments or funding decisions.