Buckle up: New laws from seat belts to library books take effect in North Dakota

By JACK DURA
Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Hundreds of new laws will take effect Tuesday in North Dakota, passed earlier this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Among them is a primary enforcement seat belt law, which comes after years of debate over safety versus personal freedom. A raft of gender-related legislation will take effect, including restrictions for restrooms in certain public facilities and for athletic participation. Public libraries will have to comply with state restrictions on explicit sexual material in children’s collections. And the state’s agriculture commissioner says restrictions on foreign entities owning land in North Dakota could create confusion for agribusiness companies with foreign ties.