The Minot City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 3 to amend proposed updates to the city’s criminal and traffic ordinance to keep fines for driving without liability insurance at $300 for the first offense and $600 for the second.

Alderman Scott Samuelson, who moved the amendment, argued the penalty must deter motorists who drive uninsured. "This used to be a class B felony, but the legislature changed that," Samuelson said, urging the council to retain higher fines in section 20‑6a.29.1. Alderman Fuller supported the amendment on deterrence grounds and said he had discussed the issue with state officials and a municipal court judge.

City Attorney (name not specified in the transcript) told the council that a recent state legislative change limits municipalities’ ability to double certain fines and that the ordinance language was intended to align city code with state law. "The council has the authority in this particular arena now with the direction from the legislature," the city attorney said, explaining the limits on doubling moving violation fines.

Alderman Blessum and others noted the update aims to align local code with state changes that removed doubling for some speeding violations but allow doubling for other moving violations. After the amendment to retain the $300/$600 fines passed unanimously, the council then moved and passed the ordinance on first reading as amended.

The discussion highlighted tension between local deterrence goals and changes in state law; council members said they may pursue further conversations with state legislators about school‑zone fines and other discrepancies. The ordinance item passed first reading unanimously and will return for subsequent readings as required by city procedure.