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HB 1374

AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 44-04 and a new section to chapter 58-03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an open meeting exemption for a board of township supervisors when conducting an onsite inspection.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Jeff Barta and 3 co-sponsors

HB 1374 allows township boards to conduct certain onsite inspections as an exempt meeting, reducing open-meeting constraints when staff are unavailable or the board acts as staff.

Filed with Secretary Of State 04/16
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Bill Summary · HB 1374

Summary — HB 1374 (North Dakota)

Title: An Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 44‑04 and a new section to chapter 58‑03 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to an open meeting exemption for a board of township supervisors when conducting an onsite inspection.

Status: Enrolled and filed with Secretary of State (filed 04/16/2025). Sponsors: Representatives Klemin, Fegley, Warrey; Senator Barta.

Main purpose / intent

HB 1374 creates a narrow open‑meetings exemption so that a board of township supervisors may conduct certain onsite inspections without the meeting being treated as a public open meeting under North Dakota’s open meetings law. The change is intended to allow townships that lack available staff — or where the board itself is acting as both officers and staff — to carry out required onsite inspections without the procedural constraints of a formal public meeting.

Key provisions

  • Creates a new section in chapter 44‑04 (open meetings chapter) stating that an onsite inspection conducted under the bill is an “exempt meeting.”
  • Creates a new section in chapter 58‑03 (township officers/title governing township powers) specifying when the exemption applies:
    • A gathering of members of a board of township supervisors to conduct an onsite inspection is an exempt meeting (per NDCC § 44‑04‑17.1) if either:
    • The township does not have staff available who are capable of making the inspection; or
    • The board of township supervisors is serving as the township officers and as the staff of the township.
  • Notice requirement: the board must make good‑faith efforts to notify any news media that previously filed a written request for notice (and provided a telephone number). Notice may be given by telephone or by any other method the board uses to notify members of the public body.

Who is affected

  • Primary: boards of township supervisors and township officers in North Dakota, particularly small or understaffed townships.
  • Secondary: local news media that have filed written requests for meeting notices, and members of the public interested in township inspections.
  • No statewide programmatic or fiscal changes are created by the bill; effects are operational/administrative at the township level.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Practical: Enables townships without available staff to perform legally required onsite inspections without convening a formal open meeting (which can impose scheduling or quorum constraints).
  • Transparency: The exemption reduces the requirement for a public meeting for these inspections, although the bill requires good‑faith media notice when requested. This narrows public access compared with a fully public meeting and may raise transparency concerns for some stakeholders.
  • Fiscal: No specific fiscal impact identified. Administrative burden limited to providing notice to requesting media and conducting inspections.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced and advanced through relevant committees (Political Subdivisions; State & Local Government).
  • Enrollment documents show House passage (yeas 88, nays 3) and Senate passage (yeas 45, nays 1).
  • Enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State April 16, 2025 (final enactment steps reflected in enrollment).

For readers seeking the statutory text: HB 1374 adds a short exemption cross‑referencing NDCC § 44‑04‑17.1 and a new subsection in chapter 58‑03 describing the two factual situations when the exemption applies and the modest notice duty to news media.

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

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