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HB 1150

requiring disclosure of complaints to public employees within 5 business days.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Steve Pearson

ND would ban most in-store retail and business activity from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Sundays, with many item categories restricted and certain exemptions allowed.

Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 27
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Bill Summary · HB 1150

HB 1150 — North Dakota (69th Legislative Assembly)

Bill Title: An Act to create and enact three new sections to chapter 12.1‑30 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to Sunday closing laws; to amend and reenact section 12.1‑30‑04; and to provide a penalty.

Purpose

The bill would reinstate and update Sunday “blue law” restrictions by prohibiting most business activity and certain retail sales between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on Sundays, establish exemptions, and provide enforcement mechanisms and penalties.

Key provisions

  • Prohibition window: Makes it a class B misdemeanor for any person between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on Sunday to:
    • Conduct business or labor for profit in the usual manner and location; or
    • Operate a place of business open to the public; or
    • Direct employees/agents to perform actions that violate the section.
  • Covered retail prohibitions: Lists categories of items that may not be sold or rented during the prohibited period (subject to specified exceptions). Categories include (but are not limited to): clothing and accessories, footwear, furniture, kitchenware and appliances, electronics (radios, TVs, cameras), household linens and floor coverings, jewelry, watches, motor vehicles (except daily rentals by dedicated car-rental businesses), musical instruments, toys (with limited exceptions), sporting goods, hardware (with emergency exceptions), and many other consumer goods.
  • Exceptions to the sales prohibition: The sales ban does not apply to items sold at hobby/craft shows, fairs, exhibits, occasional rummage/garage sales (no sales tax permit required), and tourist attractions that derive at least 50% of annual gross sales from seasonal/tourist customers.
  • Businesses explicitly allowed to operate on Sundays (subject to limitations): restaurants and prepared‑food services; hotels/motels; hospitals and nursing homes (including gift shops on premises); dispensaries of drugs and medicines; ambulance/burial services; utilities and fuel distribution; transportation services (rail, bus, taxi, air); motor fuel stations (fuel sales and certain vehicle services); newsstands; broadcasting; parks and recreational facilities; libraries; certain industrial operations requiring continuous processing; and other public‑service or entertainment activities (amusement centers, performances, sporting events, etc.).
  • Special provisions: e.g., limited staffing rules for food-storage/retail stores (owner/manager plus up to six employees working on Sunday unless local ordinance increases that number).
  • Enforcement and remedies:
    • Criminal penalty: violation is a class B misdemeanor.
    • Civil remedy: Attorney General, state's attorney, mayor, city manager, or city attorney may petition a district court to enjoin ongoing violations.
  • Amends § 12.1‑30‑04: (text truncated in source) the bill also addresses retail lease/franchise agreements by prohibiting contractual requirements that force a retail business to be open on Sunday.

Who would be affected

  • Retailers and employers operating in North Dakota (especially general merchandise stores and specialty retailers selling the enumerated categories).
  • Consumers — reduced availability of many non‑essential goods on Sunday mornings.
  • Employees — restrictions on Sunday morning work for many retail roles (subject to exemptions).
  • Local governments — possible enforcement role and authority to adjust some local exceptions (e.g., staffing limits by ordinance).
  • Businesses already exempted (hospitals, pharmacies/dispensaries, restaurants, fuel stations, transportation, etc.) would largely be unaffected for allowed activities.

Procedural / status notes

  • Introduced: Nov. 12, 2024 (69th Legislative Assembly; sponsors include Representatives Heilman, Hoverson, J. Johnson, Meier, Schatz and Senators Clemens, Luick).
  • Reported legislative status (as provided by the requester): Second reading — failed to pass (yeas 4, nays 89).
  • Enforcement timeline: prohibitions would apply during the statutory Sunday morning hours on and after the bill’s effective date if enacted.

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Business operations and staffing changes required for many retailers; potential loss of weekend sales.
  • Consumers would face reduced access to non‑essential retail goods on Sunday mornings.
  • Enforcement would require prosecutorial or civil‑injunctive action for compliance.
  • Local governments retain limited discretion to expand certain operational allowances (e.g., food‑store staffing).

If you want, I can produce a red‑line comparison showing how the bill would change current North Dakota statute 12.1‑30 and 12.1‑30‑04, or extract the full list of prohibited items into a printable checklist.

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

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