North Dakota’s Century-Old Sunday Activity Laws Revolutionized: From Silent Films to Shopping Sprees
Fargo, N.D. — A century-old slice of North Dakota’s legislative history reveals the intriguing evolution of the state’s blue laws, regulations that once restricted commercial activities on Sundays. Originally introduced as SB 294, the bill — designed to ease these restrictions — faced initial resistance before becoming law under Governor Lynn Frazier in 1917. Initially, SB 294 proposed to allow various leisure activities on Sundays, such as visiting bathing beaches, enjoying Chautauqua assemblies, and engaging in boating and swimming. While the Senate approved, the House of Representatives narrowly rejected the bill, sending it back for … Read more