A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 15.1-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the prohibition of school extracurricular activities on certain holidays.
HB 1251 would have added a new section to North Dakota Century Code chapter 15.1-06 prohibiting schools from holding extracurricular activities on specified “family days.” The bill defines family days as New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and Easter Sunday. The prohibition would have applied broadly to extracurricular activities, including practices, games, performances, competitions, meetings, and events, whether required or optional.
In practical terms, the bill would have restricted school-sponsored after-school and holiday programming on those dates and would have applied to public schools covered by chapter 15.1-06. It would have created a clear statutory limitation on school scheduling, affecting students, coaches, advisors, performers, and school administrators who organize activities on holidays.
If enacted, HB 1251 would have amended Title 15.1 of the North Dakota Century Code by creating a new legal restriction on school extracurricular scheduling. Schools would have been barred from conducting covered activities on the listed holidays, which could have required changes to athletic calendars, rehearsal schedules, competitions, and other school events. Because the bill was not enacted, no change to existing law resulted.
The bill did not advance, failing on House second reading by a vote of 30 yeas to 61 nays on January 24, 2025. The vote suggests limited legislative support for imposing a categorical holiday ban on extracurricular activities. No committee transcripts were provided, so the available record shows the outcome more clearly than the underlying debate.
The likely point of contention was whether the state should mandate a blanket prohibition on school extracurricular activities during holidays and family observances. Supporters likely viewed the bill as protecting family time and honoring major holidays, while opponents likely objected to the rigidity of a statewide ban and the operational burden it would place on schools, students, and activity programs. Because there are no committee transcripts, specific arguments by individual legislators are not available from the provided record.