Bill
HB 1355
Mandates standardized, display-type abbreviated notices in county papers with clear subject, contact, deadlines, hearings, and optional QR code for full rule details.
AN ACT to amend and reenact subdivision b of subsection 1 of section 28‑32‑10, NDCC — required abbreviated notice for administrative rulemaking
Status & timeline
- Introduced: November 15, 2024 (Representatives Steiner, Bahl, McLeod, Pyle, Schauer, Toman, Kasper; Senators Cleary, Sickler, Weston listed as sponsors).
- Committee actions: Reported and amended in Political Subdivisions Committee (Jan 30, 2025) and Senate State & Local Government Committee (Mar 27, 2025).
- Passage: Passed both chambers (House vote 91–0; Senate vote 46–0) and ultimately filed with the Secretary of State on April 16, 2025 (status shown as “Filed with Secretary Of State 04/16”).
Purpose / Intent
- To clarify and standardize the required content and minimum format of the abbreviated newspaper notice that state agencies and commissions must publish when proposing administrative rules. The goal is to improve consistency and public access to basic information about proposed rules and hearings.
Key provisions / changes
- Publication requirement: Agencies/commissions must request publication of an abbreviated newspaper notice at least once in each official county newspaper in the state (no change in the statewide publication obligation).
- Minimum display format: The abbreviated notice must be in a display‑type format with a minimum width of one column (~2 inches / 5.08 cm) and minimum depth of ~3 inches (7.62 cm) and must include a headline describing the general topic of the proposed rules.
- Required content: The notice must include:
- A telephone number or address to obtain a copy of the proposed rules;
- Identification of any emergency status and the declared effective date for emergency rules;
- The address and deadline for submitting written comments;
- The location, date, and time of any public hearing on the rules;
- A short description of the general subject matter of the proposed rules submission (committee amendments refined this language to favor a brief general description).
- Optional QR code: Agencies may include a quick response (QR) code linking to the full notice or additional information at the agency’s discretion.
- Flexibility provided in committee amendments: earlier drafts allowed a “short and simplified summary of each rule change deemed significant”; the enacted/amended text emphasizes a short description of the general subject matter and expressly permits a QR code for access to the full notice.
Who is affected
- State agencies and commissions required to publish abbreviated rulemaking notices.
- Official county newspapers tasked with publishing those notices.
- Members of the public, regulated entities, and other stakeholders who rely on abbreviated newspaper notices to learn about proposed rules, comment deadlines, and public hearings.
Potential impact
- Improves clarity and consistency of brief newspaper notices so readers can more readily identify the subject and how to obtain full rule texts and participate.
- Allows modern access methods (QR codes) to reduce space‑limited summaries while pointing readers to complete information.
- Administrative burden and cost impacts are likely minimal and limited to formatting and content adjustments for agencies and newspapers; no fiscal analysis for North Dakota is included in the bill text.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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