AN ACT to create and enact chapter 14-07.7 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to civil protection orders; to amend and reenact sections 11-15-32 and 12-60-23, subsection 2 of section 12.1-17-13, section 14-05-23, subsection 4 of section 14-07.1-01, sections 14-07.1-02.1 and 14-07.1-11, subsection 1 of section 14-07.1-14, section 14-07.1-19, subdivision a of subsection 1 of section 14-07.6-01, subdivision b of subsection 1 of section 15.1-09-33.4, sections 16.1-02-07 and 29-01-15, subdivision g of subsection 1 of section 29-06-15, and subdivision a of subsection 2 of section 47-16-17.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to restraining orders and protection orders; to repeal sections 12.1-31-01.2, 12.1-31.2-01, 14-07.1-02, 14-07.1-03, 14-07.1-03.1, 14-07.1-04, 14-07.1-05, 14-07.1-05.1, 14-07.1-06, 14-07.1-07, and 14-07.1-08 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to sexual assault restraining orders and domestic violence protection orders; to provide a penalty; and to provide an effective date.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Cole Conley and 3 co-sponsors

North Dakota consolidates domestic violence and sexual assault protection order laws into a single unified civil protection order system with amended procedures across multiple statutes.

Filed with Secretary Of State 04/22

Legislative bill overview

HB 1489 consolidates North Dakota's fragmented protection order system by creating a unified civil protection order framework in new chapter 14-07.7, while repealing the separate domestic violence protection orders and sexual assault restraining orders statutes. The bill amends numerous related statutes across criminal and family law to align with this new consolidated system and updates procedural requirements for restraining orders.

Why is this important

North Dakota's previous system required victims to navigate multiple, overlapping statutory schemes depending on the type of abuse or assault involved, creating confusion and potential gaps in protection. Consolidating these into a single framework is intended to streamline access to protection orders, reduce administrative burden on courts, and provide more consistent legal protections regardless of the circumstances of abuse or assault.

Potential points of contention

Scope creep concerns: Consolidating multiple protection order types into one statute may either narrow protections for some categories (sexual assault victims, domestic violence survivors) or broaden them unexpectedly, depending on how the new unified language is interpreted

Procedural changes: Amendments to 11 separate sections suggest significant procedural modifications that may affect filing timelines, evidence standards, or enforcement mechanisms, with unclear impacts on victim access or respondent due process

Implementation complexity: Repealing entire chapters while amending scattered provisions across criminal, family, and civil code creates substantial transition challenges for courts, law enforcement, and legal practitioners, potentially creating confusion during initial implementation