A BILL for an Act to create and enact a new section to chapter 39-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the use of out-of-state operators' licenses and nonoperator identification cards for identification and motor vehicle operation.
Summary
HB 1501 would add a new section to North Dakota Century Code chapter 39-06 restricting when certain out-of-state driver’s licenses and nonoperator identification cards may be accepted in North Dakota. Under the bill, a license or ID from another state could not be used for identification purposes or to operate a motor vehicle in North Dakota unless the person also presents a second qualifying form of identification. The bill lists acceptable secondary documents, including a U.S. passport, birth certificate, naturalization or citizenship documents, a permanent resident card, an employment authorization card, or a foreign passport with visa.
The bill creates an exception for out-of-state licenses and ID cards that comply with the federal Real ID Act of 2005, and it does not apply to commercial operator licenses. In practical terms, the measure would have narrowed the circumstances under which certain non-Real ID out-of-state credentials could be used in North Dakota, affecting drivers, residents, visitors, and law enforcement or other entities that rely on state-issued identification.
Impact
If enacted, HB 1501 would have amended state law in chapter 39-06 to impose additional identification requirements on holders of out-of-state driver’s licenses and nonoperator ID cards from states that do not require proof of citizenship, residency, or visa status to obtain those credentials. It would have limited both identity verification and motor vehicle operation in North Dakota for those individuals unless they also carried one of the enumerated secondary documents. Because the bill excludes Real ID-compliant credentials and commercial licenses, its effect would have been targeted rather than universal, but it would still have changed how some out-of-state IDs are treated for everyday identification and driving purposes.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have had limited support and was ultimately unsuccessful, failing on House second reading by a wide margin, 84-6. The vote suggests the chamber was generally opposed to the proposal or unconvinced that the added restrictions were necessary. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the decisive defeat indicates that the prevailing sentiment was negative toward the bill’s approach.
Contention
The central point of contention is the bill’s restriction on recognition of out-of-state identification documents from states that do not require proof of citizenship, residency, or visa status. Supporters likely viewed the measure as a way to tighten identity verification and ensure stronger documentation standards, while opponents likely saw it as burdensome, potentially confusing, and disruptive for lawful drivers and residents who rely on valid out-of-state credentials. The carve-out for Real ID-compliant documents and the list of acceptable secondary IDs suggest the bill tried to balance security concerns with limited exceptions, but the strong floor vote against it indicates those safeguards did not overcome broader objections.