Privacy becomes issue with ND bill-tracker service

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A new online bill-tracking service designed to make North Dakota's legislative process more transparent has prompted emergency action to shield users from public record requests.

The Forum newspaper reports that Republican Majority Leader Al Carlson urged members of the House on Wednesday to pass a measure shielding users from public record requests aimed at finding out which bills users of the system are tracking and what they're saying about them.

Carlson said the intent of the system is to enable people to follow bills — not allow people to track which bills others are tracking.

House Minority Leader Kenton Onstad questioned the bill being rushed through without debate, but the House passed the bill without a committee hearing on Wednesday. The Senate passed it Thursday.

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