A new lawsuit is challenging how North Dakota lawmakers handled the state’s voter-approved term limits measure. The story was first covered by the North Dakota Monitor on Monday.
A lawsuit filed this week accuses North Dakota legislative leaders of violating the state constitution by changing how a voter-approved term limits amendment would be implemented. The suit was filed directly with the North Dakota Supreme Court.
The challenge centers on a term limits measure approved by voters in 2022. That amendment placed lifetime limits on lawmakers and other statewide officials. Plaintiffs argue that lawmakers later rewrote key portions of the measure, including how prior service is counted, in a way they say conflicts with the language voters approved.
The lawsuit claims the legislature overstepped its authority by altering a constitutional amendment without sending changes back to voters. It asks the court to block enforcement of the revised law and to restore the original voter-approved language.
Legislative leaders have defended their actions, saying the changes were needed to clarify how the amendment would work in practice.
The Supreme Court has not yet set a timeline for reviewing the case.
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