blue laws

On the surface, SB 294 seemed straightforward. Its intent was to loosen the state’s blue laws that restricted activities on Sundays. North Dakota had these laws in place since statehood. SB 294 aimed to allow bathing beaches, Chautauqua assemblies, pleasure resorts, boating, swimming, canoeing, and more on Sundays. The bill passed the Senate, but the House narrowly defeated it. Some believed it was worth another try, but before being reintroduced, supporters of Sunday activities quietly added a new provision.

North Dakota history includes decades of controversy and division over restrictions on Sunday shopping. The state began its existence with these so-called “Blue Laws” that included a ban on the sale of alcohol.

In 1917, laws governing what could happen on Sundays, the Blue laws, seemed to be on the brink of change in North Dakota, but many of those bills failed, including a bill allowing shooting and hunting on Sundays.

North Dakota used to have a number of restrictions affecting Sunday activities. These are known as Blue Laws. During the 1917 legislative session, bills were introduced to relax those laws, proposing that movie theaters be allowed to open, baseball games could be played, and shooting and hunting would be permitted.

A House committee is looking at a bill that would do away with the prohibition that retail stores can’t be open before noon Sundays.Rep. Pamela Anderson…