North Dakota Gov. Hoeven signed SB 2188, shielding child-placing agencies that refuse placements on religious or moral grounds
On April 22, 2003, North Dakota Governor John Hoeven signed Senate Bill 2188 into law, enacting N.D.C.C. § 50-12-07.1, which bars the state from denying, revoking, or refusing to renew a license, grant, or contract to a child-placing agency that declines placements conflicting with its religious beliefs or moral convictions. The bill passed the 58th North Dakota Legislative Assembly with Senate votes of 45–2 and 41–3 (conference report) and a House vote of 72–18. North Dakota became one of the earliest states to codify a religious exemption for adoption and foster-care agencies, a model later adopted by several other states.