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SB 2054

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 27-09.1-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the master jury list; and to provide a contingent effective date.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

Expands the county master jury list to include more data sources (including tribal registries and welfare lists with federal approval) and requires electronic access for review.

Motion to reconsider failed
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Bill Summary · SB 2054

SB 2054 — Summary (North Dakota, 2025 session)

Status: Introduced March 7, 2025. Committee report and House amendments adopted; motion to reconsider failed. (Note: the packet also contains unrelated Illinois SB2054 text — that is not part of this North Dakota bill.)

Purpose

Amend North Dakota Century Code § 27-09.1-05 to revise what lists may be used to compile county “master” jury lists, to require electronic access to those source lists, to clarify inclusion of tribal registries, and to add a contingent process to allow use of public‑assistance records once federal approval is obtained.

Key provisions

  • Revises the statutory definition of the county “master list” used to generate juror pools (NDCC § 27‑09.1‑05).
  • Enumerates potential source data that may be included in the master list. Sources named across the bill versions include:
    • Registered voters (actual voters for the county)
    • Registered motor‑vehicle owners (ch. 39‑04)
    • Drivers licensed by the Dept. of Transportation (ch. 39‑06)
    • Public‑utility customers
    • Property taxpayers
    • Recipients of unemployment compensation (ch. 52‑06)
    • Tribal registries (if made available by a federally recognized tribe in ND)
    • Recipients of public assistance (ND Administrative Code ch. 75‑02‑01.2)
    • Recipients of child‑care assistance (ND Administrative Code ch. 75‑02‑01.3)
  • Requires any custodian of lists used to compile the master list to make those lists available to the court in electronic form for inspection, reproduction, and copying.
  • Clarifies that names on tribal registries must be included in the master list if the tribe makes a registry available.
  • Addresses confidentiality: bill language varies by draft, but the reported amendment makes the information used from the public‑assistance and child‑care lists confidential and limits use to creating the master list; other source lists are treated as part of the compilation process. (See “Notes” below.)

Contingent federal approval and effective date

  • Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to seek a federal “state plan amendment” during the 2025–2027 biennium to authorize disclosure of public‑assistance and child‑care assistance lists to the court.
  • Section 2 (the provisions adding public‑assistance and child‑care lists) becomes effective 90 days after the executive director of HHS certifies to the Legislative Council that federal approval (state plan amendment) authorizing disclosure has been granted.

Who is affected / potential impacts

  • County clerks: new/expanded duties to compile master lists from additional sources and to avoid duplication.
  • Custodians of records (DMV, utilities, tax offices, unemployment and benefit administrators, tribal registries): required to provide electronic access for jury selection purposes.
  • Individuals on newly included lists (recipients of public assistance/child‑care assistance, unemployment, etc.) — their names could be used as jury source records, though the bill limits how assistant program data may be handled and requires federal approval before certain disclosures.
  • Federally recognized tribes: tribal registries may be included only if a tribe makes the registry available.

Procedural notes and uncertainty

  • Multiple draft versions in the committee report and amendment contain overlapping and sometimes inconsistent confidentiality and public‑access language (e.g., some drafts state the master list is open to public examination while specifying that certain underlying source lists are confidential). The adopted amendment clarifies electronic access and the contingent inclusion of welfare-related lists.
  • The bill conditions use of public‑assistance and child‑care assistance lists on obtaining federal authorization (state plan amendment), reflecting federal privacy/benefit program rules.
  • Legislative actions in the provided record indicate committee activity, amendments, and a final floor action where a motion to reconsider failed — check the official legislative history for final disposition.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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