“Bigotry is alive and well in Bismarck,” writes Jim Shaw in his most recent column. “The North Dakota Legislature is standing still while the country goes forward on LGBT rights and protections,” he continues. It’s refreshing to see Shaw take a break from whining in print about former Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s loss in the last…
Do North Dakota Gay Rights Activists Really Want to Achieve Their Objectives?
State Rep. Mary Johnson, a Republican from Fargo, has introduced legislation to address alleged discrimination based on sexual orientation in areas like hiring and housing. It’s HB1441, which you can read in full below. Perhaps more interesting than Johnson’s bill, however, is the reaction from supposed gay rights activists who are coming out in opposition…
Legislation Introduced to Deny Reserve Law Enforcement Officers Power to Arrest, Carry a Gun
Earlier this month Fargo defense attorney Mark Friese wrote a guest post here on SAB regarding the use of reserve officers by North Dakota law enforcement agencies. “To the surprise of many, including me—a formerly licensed police officer and lawyer—North Dakota law exempts ‘reserve officers’ from licensing, oversight, training, and regulation,” he wrote. “Even more…
Lawmakers Passed Solid Reforms to North Dakota’s Voter ID Laws
In their previous session North Dakota lawmakers passed a law tightening up the state’s voter ID laws. Unfortunately, those reforms were struck down by a federal judge shortly before the 2016 election, so last year the state’s residents cast ballots based on the bad old laws. Which require an ID but, if you don’t have…
Video: Legislation Banning “Safe Spaces” on North Dakota Campuses Passes State House
HB1329, introduced by Rep. Rick Becker of Bismarck, got a “do not pass” recommendation from the House Education Committee. But when the bill came to the floor the full House overturned the committee’s recommendation and passed it on a 65-25 vote. You can read the text of the legislation here. It’s a little complicated, but…