Gov. Armstrong Signs Remaining Bills, Uses Line-Item Veto Impacting 24/7 Sobriety Fees

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — Gov. Kelly Armstrong has signed the remaining bills from the 2025 North Dakota legislative session but he has also used his line-item veto authority on portions of six bills.

One of the biggest issues involves the fees for the 24/7 sobriety program.

Armstrong says a section slipped into an appropriations bill in the House prohibited a judge from waiving the fees even in cases of hardship or being indigent.

He says it would invite a Constitutional challenge and only increase costs and jail overcrowding for counties.

Armstrong also says he had to choose to reject the standalone police or risk the entire appropriation for a state agency.

You can read his letter to the Speaker of  the House here.

Of 601 bills sent to the governor, he signed 597 of them.

Four bills were vetoed in their entirety.