North Dakota permits counties and cities to update home rule charters via resolution when preempted by state law or court orders

Original title: AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 11-09.1 and a new section to chapter 40-05.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a county home rule charter and city home rule charter conforming with statute or court order; and to amend and reenact sections 11-09.1-06 and 40-05.1-07 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the amendment or repeal of a county and city home rule charter.

Last action · March 26, 2025: Filed with Secretary Of State 03/25Sponsors: Brad Bekkedahl and 5 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Does

North Dakota allows counties and cities to amend their s through a governing body resolution rather than a public vote when existing provisions are invalidated or superseded by state statute or court orders. The new law applies immediately upon adoption by the local governing body, eliminating the requirement for voter petitions or elections for these specific compliance updates.

Why it matters

Local governments can now streamline the legal cleanup of obsolete or invalidated charter provisions without incurring the administrative cost and delay of holding a public election.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

counties

County governing bodies gain the authority to update home rule charters via resolution to comply with court orders or state laws without holding an election.

Directly affected

cities

City governing bodies gain the authority to update home rule charters via resolution to comply with court orders or state laws without holding an election.

Directly affected

qualified electors

Voters no longer participate in or vote on home rule charter amendments that are strictly enacted to conform with existing state statutes or court orders.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do voters need to approve charter changes made due to state laws or court orders?

No. Voter petitions, approvals, and elections are not required when a county or city amends its to conform with a legislative act or court order.

Can a city add completely new powers to its charter using this resolution process?

No. Amendments intended to add any power not included in the original must still follow the standard public election and petition process.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

20 actions

Mar 26, 2025
Filed with Secretary Of State 03/25
Mar 24, 2025SenateEnrolled
Signed by Governor 03/24
Mar 21, 2025SenateEnrolled
Sent to Governor
Mar 21, 2025Senate
Signed by President
Mar 20, 2025House
Signed by Speaker
Mar 18, 2025SenateFloor
Second reading, passed, yeas 45 nays 1

Show 14 earlier actions

Mar 18, 2025Senate
Concurred
Mar 12, 2025Senate
Returned to Senate (12)
Mar 11, 2025HouseFloor
Second reading, passed as amended, yeas 85 nays 6
Mar 10, 2025HouseCommittee
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
Mar 7, 2025HouseCommittee
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 10 1 2
Mar 6, 2025HouseCommittee
Committee Hearing 03:30
Feb 18, 2025HouseIntroduced
Introduced, first reading, referred Political Subdivisions Committee
Feb 6, 2025House
Received from Senate
Feb 5, 2025SenateFloor
Second reading, passed, yeas 44 nays 1
Feb 4, 2025SenateCommittee
Amendment adopted, placed on calendar
Feb 3, 2025Senate
Laid over one legislative day
Jan 31, 2025SenateCommittee
Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 6 0 0
Jan 30, 2025SenateCommittee
Committee Hearing 09:30
Jan 20, 2025SenateIntroduced
Introduced, first reading, referred State and Local Government Committee

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →