Legislative Update - Week Four

We are excited to report a win for Pay Equity. House Bill 1294 passed the House by a vote of 65-25. This bill prohibits retaliation by employers when employees discuss their compensation. This is important legislation helps eliminate the secrecy surrounding pay discrimination. People can’t take action against discrimination if discrimination is kept a secret. HB 1257 is still a work in progress with the committee considering amendments. We will keep following it.

Click here for our full tracking grid.

Please join us Saturday at 9am CT for our weekly video conference update at the link below.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/145996237

We will give great focus to SB 2279, the anti-discrimination bill that would had sexual orientation and gender identity to the state Human Rights Act. Our guest will be Representative Joshua Boschee.

Date and Time	Bill Number	Short Title	Committee	Room
02/02/2015 09:30 AM	SB 2279	Relating to prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.	Senate Judiciary	Fort Lincoln  ​

​This week also had a hearings on a host of bills regarding human trafficking. These bills have broad and strong support across the spectrum. There is no doubt the bills will be receive favorable support throughout the process. Another package of bills will receive hearings next week as well.

Date and Time	Bill Number	Short Title	Committee	Room
​02/03/2015 09:15 AM	SB 2332	Relating to a mandated offender education program; to amend and reenact section 12.1-29-06 and subdivision e of subsection 1 of section 12.1-32-15 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to hiring an individual to engage in sexual activity and sex offender registration; and to provide a penalty.	Senate Judiciary	​Fort Lincoln
​02/03/2015 09:20 AM	HB 1407	​Relating to the registration of sex offenders and offenders against children who are homeless domiciled; and to provide a penalty.	​House Judiciary	​Prairie
02/03/2015 09:30 AM  ​	SB 2275	Relating to a forced or coerced abortion performed on a victim of human trafficking; and to provide a penalty.	​Senate Judiciary	Fort Lincoln
​02/03/2015 09:55 AM	HB 1347	​Relating to the inclusion of human trafficking in the definition of disorderly conduct and the definition of a deprived child.	House Judiciary	Prairie  ​

Coming up on Wednesday, February 4th at 10:00am in Senate Judiciary is a hearing on the Compassionate Care for Victims of Rape, SB 2284. If you jumped on the videoconference last week, you heard a nice overview of that legislation. The bill would provide funding for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) across the state. SANE programs are Registered Nurses with advanced education regarding the medical-forensic examination and the psychological and emotional trauma victims experience from a sexual assault.

Date and Time	​Bill Number	​Short Title	Committee	Room
​02/04/2015 10:00 AM	SB 2284	​Relating to hospital treatment of victims of sexual assault; to provide a penalty; and to provide an appropriation.	Senate Judiciary	​Fort Lincoln

Below is a list of other bills of interest. NDWN will be testifying on HB 1463 relating to reasonable accommodations for pregnant women at work on Monday, February 2 at 2:30pm.

Date and Time	Date and Time	​Short Title	Committee	​Room
​02/02/2015 09:00 AM	HB 1403	​Relating to state employee use of sick leave for consequences of domestic violence, a sex offense, stalking, or terrorizing.	​House Judiciary	​Prairie
02/02/2015 09:00 AM	SB 2334	Relating to the state's newborn screening program; to amend and reenact sections 23-01-03.1, 25-17-00.1, 25-17-01, 25-17-03, 25-17-05, and 25-17-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the state's newborn screening program; and to repeal section 25-17-04 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the state's newborn screening program.	​Senate Human Services	​Red River
​02/02/2015 09:30 AM	HB 1314	Relating to consent for emergency medical care for a minor who has been sexually assaulted.	House Human Services	Fort Union
​02/02/2015 10:15 AM	SB 2254	Relating to the provision of and payment for early childhood education programs.	Senate Education	Missouri River
​02/02/2015 10:25 AM	HCR 3012	​A concurrent resolution directing the Legislative Management to study the registration requirements for offenders against children and sexual offenders under North Dakota Century Code Section 12.1-32-15.	​House Judiciary	Prairie
02/02/2015 10:45 AM	SB 2367	A BILL for an Act to provide for the creation of a task force on substance exposed newborns; and to provide for a report to the legislative management.	​Senate Human Services	Red River
​02/02/2015 11:00 AM	HB 1410	​A BILL for an Act to provide an appropriation for head start programs.	​House Human Services	​Fort Union
​02/02/2015 11:00 AM	SB 2335	​Relating to the duty of a physician to report certain injuries.	​Senate Judiciary	​Fort Lincoln
02/02/2015 02:30 PM	HB 1463	Relating to reasonable accommodations in the workplace for pregnancy.	House Industry, Business and Labor	​Peace Garden
​02/03/2015 10:00 AM	SB 2266	​Relating to the use of minors in sexual performances; and to provide a penalty.	Senate Judiciary	Fort Lincoln
02/03/2015 10:25 AM	HB 1368	Relating to the minimum guidelines for domestic violence offender treatment programs.	​House Judiciary	Prairie
02/03/2015 10:30 AM	SB 2357	Relating to the distribution of graphic or intimate images of someone without consent; and to provide a penalty.	Senate Judiciary	Fort Lincoln
​02/04/2015 09:00 AM	SB 2331	Relating to statute of limitations as to the child victim; and to provide for application.	Senate Judiciary	​Fort Lincoln
02/05/2015 09:30 AM	SB 2330	​Relating to student identification cards issued by institutions of higher education under the supervision of the state board of higher education; and to amend and reenact subsection 1 of section 16.1-05-07 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to acceptable forms of identification to be eligible to vote.	​Senate Government and Veterans Affairs	Missouri River
02/06/2015 09:45 AM	SB 2353	Relating to casting of provisional ballots; and to provide a penalty.	Senate Government and Veterans Affairs	​Missouri River