BISMARCK — The North Dakota Ethics Commission is considering proposing a new law during the 2025 legislative session to protect whistleblowers.

North Dakota already has whistleblower laws, but none explicitly cover the Ethics Commission.

A bill draft presented during the commission’s meeting Wednesday, Oct. 23, outlaws retaliation against anyone who in good faith provides “relevant information” to the commission about a possible ethics violation, or who assists in an investigation of a possible ethics violation by providing the commission with “testimony, records, documents, or other information.”

The draft language also includes a provision stating that people who provide false information to the commission would not be shielded from libel, slander “or other civil or criminal actions.”

The draft is based on a New Mexico law, Executive Director Rebecca Binstock said during the meeting.

Murray Sagsveen, the commission’s newest member, suggested Wednesday that the group also look to a statute that protects people who report potential abuse of children and vulnerable adults to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services as a possible model.

The commission is considering four other legislative proposals for next year’s session:

• An amendment clarifying that individuals, agencies and organizations under the commission’s jurisdiction can only request advisory opinions on behalf of themselves
• Changes to its system for investigating potential ethics violations,...

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