AN ACT to amend and reenact section 39-10-43 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to railroad crossings.
Summary
SB 2061 amends North Dakota’s railroad crossing law governing when certain vehicles must stop before crossing railroad tracks. The bill keeps the existing requirement that buses carrying passengers, school buses, and vehicles transporting hazardous materials or other specified dangerous cargo stop within 50 feet and not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, look and listen for trains or on-track equipment, and proceed only when safe. It also preserves the rule that such vehicles must cross in a gear that avoids manual shifting while on the tracks.
The bill also clarifies exceptions to the stopping requirement. A stop is not required when traffic is controlled by a police officer, and a U.S. marshal is treated as a police officer for this purpose. In addition, the bill allows the director to designate certain railroad crossings as out-of-service or exempt when the track has been abandoned or discontinued, provided the crossing is clearly marked with signs reading “Tracks out of service” or “Exempt.” The road authority must erect the required signs after notice from the director, and all signage must conform to the manual on uniform traffic-control devices.
Impact
SB 2061 updates and reenacts Section 39-10-43 of the North Dakota Century Code, affecting traffic safety rules for commercial drivers, school transportation, passenger buses, and hazardous materials carriers at railroad grade crossings. It also affects the Department of Transportation, road authorities, and railway companies by formalizing the process for designating and signing out-of-service or exempt crossings. The bill does not create a new regulatory scheme, but it refines existing railroad crossing requirements and administrative procedures.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate 47-0 and the House 93-0, with only one member absent in the House, indicating unanimous agreement among those voting. The lack of committee transcript discussion suggests the measure was likely viewed as a routine safety and administrative update rather than a disputed policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention around SB 2061. The only potentially notable policy issue is the authority to designate crossings as out-of-service or exempt and the requirement that local road authorities post signs, which could affect how abandoned or discontinued rail lines are treated. However, the unanimous votes and absence of recorded debate indicate no significant opposition from legislators, transportation officials, or affected industries.
AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 2 of section 39-06.1-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the amount of fees for a moving violation.
AN ACT to amend and reenact section 39-06.2-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to commercial driver's licenses; and to declare an emergency.