AN ACT to create and enact a new section to chapter 44-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the exempt status of records related to petitions in possession of the secretary of state.
House Bill No. 1158 seeks to establish a new section in the North Dakota Century Code regarding the exempt status of records related to petitions held by the secretary of state. Specifically, it stipulates that any record received by the secretary of state concerning a request for approval of a petition to initiate or refer a measure will be considered an exempt record until the secretary has determined the sufficiency of the petition or until thirty-five days have elapsed since the record was received, whichever comes first.
The enactment of HB1158 will modify the existing transparency laws in North Dakota by creating a specific exemption for certain petition-related records. This change may affect how citizens access information about petitions and could potentially streamline the process for the secretary of state in managing petition records, thereby impacting the public's ability to monitor and engage with the legislative process.
The sentiment surrounding HB1158 appears to be overwhelmingly positive, as indicated by the voting outcomes in both the House and Senate. The House voted 90-0 in favor of the bill, and the Senate followed with a vote of 45-1, suggesting strong bipartisan support for the legislation.
There seems to be minimal contention regarding HB1158, as evidenced by the near-unanimous votes in favor of the bill. However, the single dissenting vote in the Senate may indicate some concerns regarding the implications of exempting petition records from public scrutiny, though specific details on this dissenting opinion were not provided in the available context.