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HB 1325

enabling supervisors of the checklist to correct the checklist on any day of the week.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Diane Kelley and 2 co-sponsors

Requires the ND wildlife director to publicly disclose a four-year record of all positive CWD detections, including necropsy reports and microscopic slides.

Signed by Governor Ayotte 05/28/2026; Chapter 93; eff. 05/28/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 1325

Summary — HB 1325 (North Dakota)

A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 20.1‑02‑04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to positive detections of chronic wasting disease (CWD).

Main purpose / intent

The bill would add a specific public‑record requirement to the duties of the Director of the Department responsible for wildlife (per NDCC § 20.1‑02‑04). Its stated aim is to increase transparency about confirmed detections of chronic wasting disease in the state by requiring retention and public availability of diagnostic records tied to positive CWD findings.

Key provisions

  • Amends NDCC § 20.1‑02‑04 (Duties of director) by adding a new recordkeeping requirement.
  • Requires the Director to:
    • Keep a record of all positive detections of chronic wasting disease for four years.
    • Make those records available to the public.
    • Include, as part of the publicly available material, a microscopic slide of the prion and the necropsy report associated with each positive detection.

Who/what would be affected

  • North Dakota Department of Game and Fish (or the department/office led by the Director named in § 20.1‑02‑04): adds an explicit recordkeeping and public‑disclosure duty.
  • Hunters, landowners, veterinarians, wildlife inspectors, researchers, and the general public: would have access to the four‑year record of positive CWD detections and supporting diagnostic materials.
  • Diagnostic laboratories and veterinary pathologists: their necropsy reports and diagnostic slides would be retained and potentially disclosed under this requirement.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Transparency: The bill would increase public access to CWD detections and supporting diagnostic materials, which could help researchers, landowners, and hunters understand local CWD occurrence.
  • Administrative burden/costs: Likely modest — the department would need to store, manage, and publish records for a four‑year window and potentially establish procedures for handling requests.
  • Biosafety and legal/privacy concerns:
    • Prions (the causative agents of CWD) are infectious proteins; retaining and especially sharing diagnostic materials (microscopic slides) raises biosafety and handling considerations. The department would likely need protocols limiting how slides are accessed or transferred to ensure safe handling.
    • Necropsy reports may contain identifying or sensitive information about property or submitters; redaction or privacy safeguards may be necessary before public release.
  • Scientific utility: Microscope slides and necropsy reports can be useful for independent verification or research, but the practical value of releasing prepared slides to the general public may be limited unless access is controlled for researchers.

Legislative/ procedural status

  • Introduced: November 14, 2024.
  • Target statute: North Dakota Century Code § 20.1‑02‑04 (duties of the director).
  • Status reported by the filer: Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 1, nays 88).
  • No effective date specified in the text excerpt; if enacted, implementation would follow the statute’s effective date rules or any date stated in the final enrolled act.

Notes

  • The bill text in the available packet is limited to the single added subsection requiring record retention and public availability of positive CWD detections (four‑year retention, include microscopic slide and necropsy report).
  • If stakeholders pursue similar transparency measures, agencies commonly adopt accompanying administrative rules addressing biosafety, data redaction, request processes, and researcher access to diagnostic materials.

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

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