This bill proposes the creation of Chapter 14-07.7 of the North Dakota Century Code, which focuses on civil protection orders and amends existing laws related to restraining orders. Key changes include replacing "restraining orders" with "civil protection orders" in Section 11-15-32 and establishing a registry for these orders in Section 12-60-23. The bill introduces definitions for terms such as "civil protection order," "contact," "domestic violence," and "protected individual," while outlining the petition process for obtaining a civil protection order, including provisions for minors and confidentiality measures. It also repeals several existing sections related to sexual assault restraining orders and domestic violence protection orders, streamlining the legal framework.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the process for serving protection orders and establishes penalties for violations, categorizing a first violation as a class A misdemeanor and subsequent violations as class C felonies. It allows law enforcement to arrest individuals without a warrant for violating a protection order and mandates the surrender of firearms or dangerous weapons if there is probable cause of potential violence. The bill also specifies that individuals with a civil protection order must be listed in the central voter file with a "secured active" designation, ensuring their records are maintained as active voters while remaining exempt from public access. The legislation aims to enhance protections for victims of domestic violence and related offenses, with an effective date of January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
INTRODUCED: 11-15-32, 12-60-23, 12.1-17-13, 14-05-23, 14-07.1-01, 14-07.1-02.1, 14-07.1-11, 14-07.1-14, 14-07.1-19, 14-07.6-01, 15.1-09-33.4, 16.1-02-07, 29-01-15, 29-06-15, 47-16-17.1
Adopted by the House Judiciary Committee: 11-15-32, 12-60-23, 12.1-17-13, 14-05-23, 14-07.1-01, 14-07.1-02.1, 14-07.1-11, 14-07.1-14, 14-07.1-19, 14-07.6-01, 15.1-09-33.4, 16.1-02-07, 29-01-15, 29-06-15, 47-16-17.1
FIRST ENGROSSMENT: 11-15-32, 12-60-23, 12.1-17-13, 14-05-23, 14-07.1-01, 14-07.1-02.1, 14-07.1-11, 14-07.1-14, 14-07.1-19, 14-07.6-01, 15.1-09-33.4, 16.1-02-07, 29-01-15, 29-06-15, 47-16-17.1
Prepared by the Legislative Council staff for Senator Larson: 11-15-32, 12-60-23, 12.1-17-13, 14-05-23, 14-07.1-01, 14-07.1-02.1, 14-07.1-11, 14-07.1-14, 14-07.1-19, 14-07.6-01, 15.1-09-33.4, 16.1-02-07, 29-01-15, 29-06-15, 47-16-17.1
Enrollment: 11-15-32, 12-60-23, 12.1-17-13, 14-05-23, 14-07.1-01, 14-07.1-02.1, 14-07.1-11, 14-07.1-14, 14-07.1-19, 14-07.6-01, 15.1-09-33.4, 16.1-02-07, 29-01-15, 29-06-15, 47-16-17.1