North Dakota Legislature repeals Sunday morning shopping ban

BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature has voted to repeal the state’s longstanding Sunday business restrictions.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says North Dakota is the only state that prohibits shopping on Sunday morning. The ban is rooted in religious tradition.

Senators voted 25-21 to repeal the restrictions on Tuesday. That sends the bill to Republican Gov. Doug Burgum. He’s expected to sign it.

North Dakota law once required most businesses to stay closed on Sundays. It was changed in 1985 to allow grocery stores to open. In 1991, the Legislature agreed to let most businesses to open on Sundays but not before noon.

Lawmakers have defeated several measures over the years to end the Sunday morning shopping prohibition, most recently in 2017.