# North Dakota SB 2255: AN ACT to amend and reenact section 23-01-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the qualifications, term, and duties of the state health officer. North Dakota SB 2255, AN ACT to amend and reenact section 23-01-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the qualifications, term, and duties of the state health officer., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Judy Lee (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-04-04 (Filed with Secretary Of State 04/03) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2255-202501 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: North Dakota SB 2255 - State: North Dakota - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: AN ACT to amend and reenact section 23-01-05 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the qualifications, term, and duties of the state health officer. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-20 - Last action: 2025-04-04, Filed with Secretary Of State 04/03 - Sponsor: Judy Lee (Republican) - Cosponsors: 4 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (116 yes, 22 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Religious practice gains health-order protections: benefit, low. Health officer orders cannot substantially burden religious practice without a compelling government interest and the least restrictive approach. Religious conduct cannot face stricter treatment than comparable nonreligious conduct without clear and convincing scientific evidence of extraordinary h… - Health advisory meetings lack public-access rules: cost, low. The law creates a committee to advise the state health officer on public health matters when asked. The health and human services commissioner appoints members and decides how long they serve. Members receive reimbursement for official duties under rules for other state officers. Committee meetings… - New rules for state health leadership: mixed, low. North Dakota's governor appoints a state health officer who no longer needs to be a physician. The officer must have public health education, training, or experience, plus relevant leadership experience. The officer serves at the governor's pleasure instead of a four-year term. The governor sets pa… - Disease-control orders face geographic and court limits: mixed, low. The state health officer can issue written orders needed to stop communicable disease, including immunization and decontamination measures. These orders have the same effect as a physician's standing medical order and must cover only affected areas. Statewide orders require both a governor-declared… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Judy Lee (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Todd Porter (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Ruby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Dick Dever (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Kathy Hogan (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-26 | House | Second reading, passed, yeas 76 nays 16 | pass | 76 | 16 | | | 2025-02-03 | Senate | Second reading, passed, yeas 40 nays 6 | pass | 40 | 6 | | ## Actions (16) - 2025-04-04: Filed with Secretary Of State 04/03 (House) - 2025-04-03: Signed by Governor 04/02 (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Sent to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-03-27: Returned to Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-26: Second reading, passed, yeas 76 nays 16 (House) - 2025-03-21: Reported back, do pass, place on calendar 11 0 2 (House) - 2025-03-05: Committee Hearing 03:45 (House) - 2025-02-18: Introduced, first reading, referred Human Services Committee (House) - 2025-02-04: Received from Senate (House) - 2025-02-03: Second reading, passed, yeas 40 nays 6 (Senate) - 2025-01-31: Amendment adopted, placed on calendar (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Reported back amended, do pass, amendment placed on calendar 6 0 0 (Senate) - 2025-01-27: Committee Hearing 11:15 (Senate) - 2025-01-20: Introduced, first reading, referred Human Services Committee (Senate) ## Bill text - Adopted by the Senate Human Services Committee: [PDF](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-01001m.pdf) - Enrollment: [PDF](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-03000.pdf) - FIRST ENGROSSMENT: [PDF](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-02000.pdf) - INTRODUCED: [PDF](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-01000.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1229: AN ACT to create and enact a new subdivision to subsection 2 of section 39-06.1-06 and section 39-10-71.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to statuto… (signed) - SB 2390: AN ACT to create and enact three new sections to chapter 54-40.1 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to a rural catalyst committee, grant program, and f… (signed) - HB 1298: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 39-06.1-06, 39-09-02, 39-09-04, and 39-09-07.1, and subsection 2 of section 40-05-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, rel… (signed) - SB 2113: AN ACT to create and enact two new sections to chapter 50-06 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to certified community behavioral health clinics and th… (signed) - SB 2147: AN ACT to create and enact a new subsection to section 15-10-38.4, a new subsection to section 15-62.4-03, a new section to chapter 15-62.4, and a new subsecti… (signed) - SB 2018: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department of commerce; to provide an appropriation to the attorney general; to provide an… (signed) ## Sources - [Adopted by the Senate Human Services Committee (PDF)](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-01001m.pdf) - [Enrollment (PDF)](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-03000.pdf) - [FIRST ENGROSSMENT (PDF)](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-02000.pdf) - [INTRODUCED (PDF)](https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/documents/25-1125-01000.pdf) ## Related - [HB 1229: AN ACT to create and enact a new subdivision to subsection 2 of section 39-06.1…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-HB1229-202501) - [SB 2390: AN ACT to create and enact three new sections to chapter 54-40.1 of the North D…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2390-202501) - [HB 1298: AN ACT to amend and reenact sections 39-06.1-06, 39-09-02, 39-09-04, and 39-09-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-HB1298-202501) - [SB 2113: AN ACT to create and enact two new sections to chapter 50-06 of the North Dakot…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2113-202501) - [SB 2147: AN ACT to create and enact a new subsection to section 15-10-38.4, a new subsec…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2147-202501) - [SB 2018: AN ACT to provide an appropriation for defraying the expenses of the department…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2018-202501) - [North Dakota bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/north-dakota/bills) - [North Dakota state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/north-dakota) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ND-SB2255-202501 (as of 2026-10-19).