North Dakota Says, ‘Bye Bye, Blue Laws’

The blue law repeal takes effect this coming Sunday in North Dakota.

As the Bismarck Tribune reports this week, Sunday the 4th marks the first day that certain businesses in the Peace Garden State are allowed to open for business from midnight to noon on a Sunday.

With the new post-blue law era, major stores across the state are modifying their Sunday hours, though they differ.

As the Tribune notes the state's blue laws date back to the territorial Dakota Penal Code of 1877 forbidding acts of "Sabbath breaking" and offenses like "servile labor" or "undue travel."

The original fine for breaking the law: one dollar.

In recent years, retail stores such as Walmart have been most directly affected by the laws, while lawmakers exempted smaller convenience stores and gas stations.

After hacking away at the laws for several years, the most recent change came earlier this year with the bill introduced by Rep. Shannon Roers Jones, R-Fargo.

Governor Burgum signed the bill into law, citing "personal responsibility" as well as  "freedom, fairness and local control."

[Source: Bismarck Tribune]