Bill > HB1528

This bill amends two sections of North Dakota law related to arson and endangering by fire or explosion, expanding the definitions and clarifying legal interpretations. For arson, the bill broadens the circumstances under which an individual can be charged with a class B felony, including scenarios where someone damages their own property to deprive another person with a legal interest in that property, such as a co-owner, mortgagor, or lienholder. The bill specifically defines "legal interest" to include joint ownership and property with shared financial stakes. For endangering by fire or explosion, the bill adds explicit language that "person in danger" includes emergency personnel like firefighters and law enforcement while responding to or suppressing a fire. The bill maintains the existing felony classification structure, with charges ranging from a class C felony to a class B felony depending on the specific circumstances and level of risk to human life, with the more serious classification applying when the act places another person in danger of death under circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life.

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https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/regular/bill-overview/bo1528.html