The North Dakota House of Representatives approved House Bill 1047, a measure to provide state-funded counseling for jurors who experience severe emotional trauma from exposure to graphic or gruesome evidence during trials. The bill passed on the floor by a recorded vote of 80 ayes and 11 nays.

Supporters said the bill recognizes that jurors are compelled by the state to serve and sometimes face testimony or evidence that can cause lasting psychological harm. Representative Jeff Hoverson, who presented the bill, said it was modeled on a program in Alaska and defended the fiscal estimate: "If the government compels somebody and that person gets injured, I look at it very similar to if we if somebody goes to war for us and they get injured, we have a responsibility to take care of the people that we send." He told colleagues the committee relied on the state court administrator’s modeling when setting the biennial fiscal note.

Opponents focused on precedent and the adequacy of the fiscal note. Representative Kathryn Vetter said she opposed the measure because it "is a little beyond the scope of what we should be really doing" and warned it could set a precedent for future counseling obligations. Representative Scott Murphy urged caution about the fiscal estimate, asking lawmakers to consider scenarios in which many jurors seek services and whether the $10,000 figure in the fiscal note would be sufficient.

The bill requires counseling, if needed, to occur within 180 days after a juror is discharged. Supporters acknowledged that post‑traumatic symptoms sometimes appear later; Representative Hoverson said the 180‑day window was taken from the Alaska model presented to the committee. Representative Debra Johnston, who noted past law‑enforcement debriefing practices, described the potential severity of jurors’ reactions to graphic evidence and supported providing assistance.

House Bill 1047 carried a fiscal note estimated at $10,000 in the 2025–27 biennium and $12,000 in the 2027–29 biennium, as presented by the judiciary committee. The judiciary committee recommended a do‑pass report. The measure now awaits any further steps required by legislative process.

Votes at a glance: Final tally recorded on the floor — 80 ayes, 11 nays. The bill text creates a new section in chapter 29–22 of the North Dakota Century Code relating to juror counseling and specifies types of qualifying cases and timing for counseling.

The debate on the House floor focused on the program’s fiscal assumptions, the 180‑day limit for accessing counseling, and whether the judiciary should be the vehicle for proposing this new policy. Supporters repeatedly cited the involuntary nature of jury service; opponents raised concerns about precedent and the sufficiency of the fiscal estimate.