The House voted 62-29 in favor of a bill that would allow registered sex offenders to ask the courts to remove them from the state registry earlier than what's currently provided in law.

"This case is a stark reminder of the dangers children face online," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr.

House Bill 1287 would require all voters to register either ahead of an election or on the day of an election. North Dakota is the only state without voter registration.

Supporters maintain sealing records would protect people's right to privacy; opponents say it would create transparency issues

The resolution introduced by Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, Sen. Dean Rummel, R-Dickinson, Rep. Austin Foss, D-Fargo, Rep. Karla Hanson, D-Fargo, and Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, aims to protect a critical and disappearing natural resource: darkness.

Claire Ness, deputy attorney general, speaks during a committee hearing on Jan. 20, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Possessing a computer-generated image of child pornography would be punishable as a felony in North Dakota under a bill discussed Monday by state lawmakers.

Erica Johnsrud, auditor and treasurer of McKenzie County, testified against Senate Bill 2178 at the State Capitol in Bismarck on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The bill deals with data stored in the central voter file and primary election ballots. Legislators heard a trio of bills on Thursday that could change the way elections operate in North Dakota.

Dion Schilling speaks during a committee hearing on homelessness on Jan. 21, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Advocates for low-income housing and people seeking to reduce homelessness lined up to testify Tuesday in favor of a bill that allocates $211 million to address North Dakota’s housing crisis.

The resolution encourages households and property owners to protect migrating birds by closing curtains, facing outdoor lights downwards and installing motion sensor lighting or light covers. These practices may also lower household energy costs, Mathern told the North Dakota Monitor.

The extreme North Dakota cold is known to disrupt several industries, including the production of oil and natural gas.

House Bill 1332 seeks to allocate dollars from an existing ag fund to the Bank of North Dakota to support large ag projects that are considering North Dakota.

The North Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee heard testimony Wednesday over a bill that would increase mandatory minimum sentences for certain offenders.