North Dakota House advances multiple bills, rejects proposals to expand Sunday closures and records exemptions

BISMARCK — The North Dakota House of Representatives on Jan. 16 took final action on a package of bills spanning state licensing, foster care, services for people with developmental disabilities, special‑education terminology and insurance licensing, while voting down measures that would have reinstated broad Sunday closing rules and expanded exemptions to public‑records laws.

The most consequential items voted on the floor were housekeeping and statutory‑alignment bills from the Human Services, Judiciary and Industry, Business and Labor committees. Representative Scott Hoverson, carrying House Bill 1175 on behalf of the judiciary committee, described the bill as largely cleanup language related to North Dakota’s role in the Uniform Law Commission and urged passage. The House approved HB 1175 by a recorded vote of 93‑0.

House Bill 1072, carried by Representative Belk at the request of the Department of Health and Human Services, was approved 92‑0. The bill adjusts statutory language related to guardianship subsidy and clarifies a five‑year review window for child‑welfare history checks of prospective foster or adoption providers; the department’s fiscal note listed no additional fiscal impact. Representative Belk explained the changes are intended to align state practices with federal reimbursement rules for guardianship subsidy.

Representative Julie Davis carried House Bill 1109, a broad rewrite to update North Dakota Century Code provisions governing residential care and services for people with developmental disabilities. "This bill is designed to modernize,…