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HB 1030

AN ACT to amend and reenact subdivision i of subsection 1 of section 12.1-32-02, sections 15.1-19-13 and 19-03.1-23, subsection 6 of section 19-03.4-03, subsection 17 of section 27-20.2-01, subsection 26 of section 27-20.4-01, subdivision c of subsection 4 of section 27-20.4-17, subsection 4 of section 27-20.4-26, subsection 5 of section 29-26-22, section 39-06-36.1, subsection 9 of section 39-06.1-11, subdivision f of subsection 5 of section 39-08-01, and sections 39-08-01.5 and 54-12-27.1 of the North Dakota Century Code relating to changing drug court to treatment court.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26)

North Dakota renames "drug courts" to "treatment courts" throughout state law to emphasize rehabilitation over criminalization in substance use interventions.

Filed with Secretary Of State 03/14
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Bill Summary · HB 1030

Legislative bill overview

HB 1030 is a comprehensive bill that systematically renames "drug court" to "treatment court" throughout North Dakota's Century Code across multiple sections. The bill updates terminology in criminal justice, education, health, and professional licensing statutes to reflect this new designation while maintaining the functional structure and operations of these courts.

Why is this important

The terminology change from "drug court" to "treatment court" signals a shift in how the state frames substance use intervention—emphasizing treatment and rehabilitation rather than criminalization. This rebranding affects how courts are perceived and potentially how they operate, influencing the language used in criminal records, educational requirements for judges, and professional regulations that govern these specialized court programs.

Potential points of contention

  • Symbolic versus substantive change: Critics may argue this is merely cosmetic rebranding without meaningful reforms to how courts operate, fund treatment services, or measure outcomes
  • Implementation consistency: Updating terminology across 13+ separate code sections creates potential for confusion during transition and requires coordination across multiple agencies and jurisdictions
  • Perception management: Some may view the name change as attempting to improve optics without addressing underlying issues like treatment availability, recidivism rates, or adequate funding for actual treatment programs

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

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