The bill amends various sections of the North Dakota Century Code to enhance the attorney recruitment and retention program. Key changes include the explicit inclusion of "retention" alongside "recruitment" in multiple sections, emphasizing the program's dual focus. The eligibility criteria for counties and municipalities have been updated, removing the previous population cap of sixteen thousand five and instead requiring that counties have licensed attorneys residing within them. The bill also stipulates that participating attorneys must practice in selected areas for at least five consecutive years and caps the number of participating attorneys at eight at any given time.

Additionally, the bill outlines the financial structure of the program, detailing the incentive payments to participating attorneys, which amount to forty-five thousand dollars distributed over five years. It establishes a dedicated fund for the program within the state treasury, ensuring continuous appropriation for attorney payments. The agreement for payment requires counties or municipalities to contribute a portion of the incentive, and it includes provisions for repayment if an attorney breaches the agreement. Overall, the amendments aim to strengthen the legal workforce in rural areas of North Dakota by improving both recruitment and retention efforts.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 27-02.2-01, 27-02.2-02, 27-02.2-03, 27-02.2-04, 27-02.2-05, 27-02.2-06, 27-02.2-09, 27-02.2-10, 27-02.2-11