This bill proposes the creation of a new section in chapter 44-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, specifically addressing the status of records related to petitions held by the secretary of state. It establishes 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 classified as an exempt record. This exemption remains in effect until the secretary of state has determined the sufficiency of the petition, as outlined in section 16.1-01-10, or until thirty-five days have elapsed since the record was received, whichever comes first.

The intent of this legislation is to protect the confidentiality of petition-related records during the initial review process, thereby ensuring that sensitive information is not disclosed prematurely. By defining the timeframe for which these records are exempt, the bill aims to provide clarity and structure to the handling of such documents by the secretary of state.