North Dakota News

Gov. Armstrong signs ‘Bell to Bell’ school phone bill

(Gov. Kelly Armstrong signs bill requiring that students not use their phones during the school day.)BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – Gov. Kelly Armstrong said Friday as he signed a bill requiring K-12 public schools in North Dakota to adopt phone-free school policies that it may be the most impactful legislation of this session. The house bill requires all personal electronic communication…

North Dakota House kills final Education Savings Account bill of session

Rep. Ben Koppelman, left, R-West Fargo, asks a question to Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, on the House floor on April 24, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota House overwhelmingly rejected an Education Savings Account bill Thursday night, a day after the governor vetoed a similar bill. House members voted 78-14 against Senate Bill 2400, which…

Bill signed this week seeks to prevent health coverage delays for North Dakota patients

Gov. Kelly Armstrong signs a bill that seeks to prevent insurance prior authorization from blocking patients’ access to care in an April, 23, 2025, ceremony at the Capitol. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — New legislation signed Wednesday by Gov. Kelly Armstrong aims to protect patients from care-delaying snags in the health insurance prior authorization process. Prior…

Horace Homeowners Speak Out Against Special Assessments

Some who are suing the city say their mortgage payments have increased by as much as $1,800 a month.

The street in Horace that is the subject of the most recent increase in special assessments.HORACE, N.D. (KVRR) – “I thought it was a bank error at first,” said Horace homeowner Kendall Bonkowski. Unfortunately for her, there was no mistake. Her payment amount was indeed skyrocketing – increasing by a thousand dollars. It soon came to light that she wasn’t…

Moorhead intersection has area business owner concerned

Intersection of 2nd Ave. N. and 9th St. N. in Moorhead.MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) — A Moorhead intersection that’s part of the detour bypassing construction on First Avenue North has seen a rise in collisions. The corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street North was where a driver suffering a medical episode crashed into a house. The owner of Olsen Awning…

Fargo Public Library Director Says Vetoed Library Bill Would Have Been ‘Unenforceable’

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Across all three Fargo libraries, there is a collection of about 270,000 books. From children’s books, young adult books, and more. But under a Senate bill, libraries and public schools would have to relocate or remove books that are explicit sexual material to an area in the library not easily accessible to minors. “Our Northport branch…

Gov. Armstrong To Sign Bill Friday Banning Cell Phone Use During Class in Public Schools

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — Gov. Kelly Armstrong will be joined by First Lady Kjersti Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden at a bill signing to ban the use of cell phones in public schools. He’ll sign the bill Friday at Centennial Elementary School in Bismarck. It directs K-12 public schools to require students’ cell phones to be securely stowed and…

Judge blocks Trump plan to cut funding to public schools over diversity programs

FARGO (KVRR/AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked Trump administration directives that threatened to cut federal funding for public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused the Republican administration of violating teachers’ due process and First Amendment rights. In…