Bill > HB1429

This bill amends North Dakota's harassment and stalking laws to explicitly include conduct involving robots, which are defined as artificial objects or systems that sense, process, and act using technology, including remotely piloted aircraft. The bill adds new provisions that make it a crime to use a robot to engage in offensive conduct with no legitimate purpose, and expands the definition of stalking to include tracking someone's movements using a robot. Under the updated harassment statute, using a robot to harass someone becomes a criminal offense, with penalties ranging from a class A to class B misdemeanor depending on the specific circumstances. Similarly, the stalking statute now considers robot-enabled tracking or following as potential grounds for prosecution. The bill emphasizes that intent to harass can be inferred from repeated actions, and that constitutionally protected activities are not considered stalking. Notably, the penalties for stalking can escalate to a class C felony if the offender has previous convictions for related offenses or violates a protective court order. This legislation aims to modernize harassment and stalking laws to account for emerging technological methods of intimidation and unwanted surveillance.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Military Affairs and Security

https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1429.html