HB 1291 Summary

• Authorizes North Dakota's governor to enter into the Interstate Health Care Freedom Compact, a multi-state agreement to protect residents' rights to pay directly for health care services without third-party involvement or penalties.

• Establishes that party states shall recognize each other's health care freedom laws and criminal laws, prohibiting governmental agents from depriving or penalizing residents for exercising these protected rights.

• Requires state law enforcement officers to enforce the compact and allows taxpaying residents to bring legal action in any party state's courts to compel enforcement by the chief law enforcement officer.

• Designates the governor or governor's designee as compact administrator responsible for maintaining lists of party states' health care freedom laws, sharing information between states, and coordinating compact procedures.

• Compact becomes effective when at least two states deliver notice of confirmation, and any party state may withdraw four years after the compact takes effect without affecting the compact's validity for remaining states.