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HB 1469

relative to the licensing requirements for massage therapy establishments.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Daryl Abbas and 7 co-sponsors

Expands online publication and clarifies who must file, what must be disclosed, and when, to boost transparency in officials’ financial interests.

Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 1469

Summary — North Dakota HB 1469 (2025)

An Act to amend and reenact sections 16.1‑09‑02, 16.1‑09‑03, and 16.1‑09‑05 of the North Dakota Century Code — changes to the “statement of interests” disclosure requirements filed with the Secretary of State.

Main purpose and intent

HB 1469 revises who must file financial/interest disclosures, clarifies the required contents of those statements, tightens certain disclosure triggers, and modernizes handling and public access (including online publication). The statute aims to improve transparency for candidates and certain appointees and to standardize filing/retention practices.

Key provisions and changes

  • Sections amended: NDCC 16.1‑09‑02, 16.1‑09‑03, 16.1‑09‑05.
  • Who must file:
    • Every candidate for elective office must sign and file a statement of interests when filing nominating/endorsement papers or a write‑in certificate as now required.
    • Presidential/vice‑presidential candidates may file the state statement or submit their FEC personal disclosure.
    • Individuals appointed by the Governor to state agencies, boards, commissions, or licensing boards must file a statement simultaneously with announcement of the appointment.
  • Annual filing:
    • While holding office, persons required to file (except those elected to federal office) must submit an annual statement by January 31 (the bill text as enrolled reflects January 31).
  • Ballot eligibility:
    • A filing officer may not print a candidate’s name on the ballot if an error on the statement is discovered and not corrected before the 64th day before the election.
  • Contents of the statement (applies to filer and spouse):
    • Employer/business names and principal occupation (as defined on state income tax return).
    • Names of other businesses or trusts in which the filer or spouse has a financial interest.
    • Associations/institutions with which they are closely associated or serve as officer/director that may be affected by legislative action.
    • Business offices, directorships, and fiduciary relationships held during the preceding calendar year.
    • A list of political subdivisions or state agencies to which the filer or spouse sold goods/services over $5,000 in the prior year — but only when those sales were from:
    • an employer identified as principal occupation in which the spouse has ≥10% ownership; or
    • a business/trust (non‑principal) in which the filer or spouse has ≥10% ownership and the business/trust is directly related to the official duties of the office sought or held.
  • Secretary of State / auditors duties:
    • Accept and file statements; make them available for public inspection and copying (reasonable copying fees depositable to the applicable general fund).
    • Publish all statements filed with the Secretary of State on a Secretary of State–maintained website.
    • Preserve statements for the term of the office to which the filer is elected/appointed (or until a new statement is filed); preserve statements from unsuccessful candidates for one year after receipt.

Who is affected

  • Candidates for state and local elective office (and their spouses).
  • Governor’s appointees to state agencies/boards.
  • County and city auditors and the Secretary of State (administration, publication, and retention duties).
  • Entities that sell goods/services to political subdivisions or state agencies (information may trigger disclosure when ownership thresholds and relation‑to‑duties conditions are met).

Procedural / timeline aspects and status

  • Bill amends existing North Dakota disclosure statutes (NDCC 16.1‑09‑02, ‑03, ‑05).
  • Legislative status (as reflected in the enrolled/Filed materials): introduced Nov 25, 2024; read and debated during the 2025 session; enrolled and filed with the Secretary of State on 04/23/2025 (per enrolled certification). Implementation takes effect as provided by law upon enactment (no delayed effective date is specified in the enrolled text).

Practical impact

  • Increases public transparency by requiring online publication and clarifying disclosure thresholds.
  • Tightens reporting of vendor/sales relationships by linking reporting to ownership stakes (≥10%) and to whether the business is directly related to official duties.
  • Imposes modest administrative duties on filing officers and the Secretary of State (publication, retention, fee collection) but does not establish new substantive penalties beyond existing filing rules (ballot exclusion for uncorrected errors before the 64th day).

If you want, I can produce a redline comparing prior statutory language to the enrolled version or extract exact sentence‑level edits for each subsection.

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

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