AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 27-20.2-23 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to release of juvenile records.
SB 2055 amends North Dakota law governing the confidentiality and release of juvenile law enforcement and correctional records. The bill keeps juvenile delinquency and child-in-need-of-services/protection records closed to public inspection unless a delinquency charge is transferred for criminal prosecution, national security requires disclosure, or a court orders disclosure in the child’s interest. It then lists the entities that may inspect those records, including juvenile courts, counsel, certain public agencies, law enforcement in other jurisdictions, criminal courts and correctional/parole authorities, the crime victims compensation program staff, and school officials.
The measure appears to be a technical or clarifying update to the juvenile records statute, requested by the North Dakota Supreme Court. Its practical effect is to preserve the general confidentiality of juvenile records while confirming and organizing the categories of officials and institutions that may access them for justice, supervision, school enrollment, or related official purposes.
The bill amends subsection 1 of section 27-20.2-23 of the North Dakota Century Code, affecting the rules for public access to juvenile records and files. It reinforces the default rule that juvenile records are not open to public inspection and specifies the limited circumstances and authorized recipients for disclosure, which affects courts, law enforcement, correctional agencies, parole and pardon authorities, victim compensation staff, and school administrators.
The available voting history shows strong bipartisan support and little visible opposition: the Senate passed the bill 46-0 with one absent, and the House passed it 91-1 with two absent. No committee transcripts were provided, but the near-unanimous votes suggest the bill was viewed as a routine, noncontroversial juvenile justice measure rather than a contested policy change.
There is no recorded committee debate in the provided materials, and the overwhelming vote margins indicate minimal contention. The only plausible areas of sensitivity are the balance between juvenile privacy and access for schools, law enforcement, courts, and correctional authorities, but the bill’s text preserves confidentiality as the baseline and only clarifies existing exceptions.