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Committee hears heated debate over bill adding penalties to transgender student restroom law
Summary
Representative Bill Tweit introduced House Bill 1144 to add enforcement authority and civil penalties to the 2023 restroom-use statute in North Dakota law and asked the committee to require the attorney general to investigate and to allow courts to assess civil penalties for noncompliance.
Representative Bill Tweit, sponsor of House Bill 1144, told the House Human Services Committee the measure is intended to add enforcement “teeth” to a statute enacted in 2023 (House Bill 1522) that he said lacked penalties for noncompliance. Tweit said the 2023 law is already codified in the North Dakota Century Code at section 15.1-06-21 and that HB1144 would add a role for the attorney general to investigate alleged violations and allow courts to assess civil penalties. “Our kids are important,” Tweit said, urging the committee to consider inserting “shall” in several places to require enforcement.
Supporters who spoke in favor of the bill echoed Tweit’s call for enforceable remedies. Mark Jortsman, executive director of North Dakota Family Alliance Legislative Action, said a superintendent in eastern North Dakota declared he would not comply with the 2023 statute…
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