Campus police, freedom of speech bills go different directions in ND Legislature – Prairie Business

SB 2193 would expand jurisdiction lines to allow campus police to make arrests and issue tickets in a limited range projected beyond their schools and into their surrounding cities. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and cleared the House last Friday with a 71-21 vote. This week, its on its way to Gov. Doug Burgum for his signature.

Including the University of North Dakota, the campuses that have their own police units are North Dakota State University and North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton.

Leaders from Grand Forks, including those in the Legislature as well as local law enforcement and city officials, largely supported SB 2193, which they characterized as filling gaps in service. The bill is now subject to emergency measure, meaning the final law would go into effect immediately upon signature by the North Dakota secretary of state, a step that follows the governors approval and ends the legislative process.

Before the bill was cleared by the House, it was amended to delineate the expanded jurisdiction areas on a street-by-street basis for each of the three municipalities that now have campus police departments.

The other bill wont get as far as that. House Bill 1329 took aim at safe spaces on college campuses and called on the State Board of Higher Education, the governing body of the North Dakota university system, to adopt more rigorous protections for free speech. Though it passed 65-25 in the House, HB 1329 was defeated Friday in the Senate by a vote of 37-7.

Rep. Rick Becker, the sponsor of HB 1329, described the bill as a rejection of political correctness gone crazy. He said the proposal would have prevented universities from enacting policies that would discourage free expression.

The bill received do not pass recommendations before each vote from legislative education committees whose members cautioned the proposal could create issues for the SBHE while duplicating protections already provided by the Constitution and rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Campus police, freedom of speech bills go different directions in ND Legislature - Prairie Business