Politics / Elections

Lawmakers expand free school meals in North Dakota after rejecting larger proposal

Students eating lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo. (North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A day after rejecting free school meals for all North Dakota K-12 students, House members on Tuesday slightly increased the number of students who qualify for free lunch. Within House Bill 1013, the budget bill for the Department of Public Instruction, students…

North Dakota House sends 3 property tax reform bills to Senate

Rep. Scott Louser, R-Minot, speaks on the House floor on Feb. 25, 2025, about his property tax proposal. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon approved three sweeping packages aimed at reducing property taxes. All three incorporate some form of cap on year-over-year tax increases and would be funded…

House rejects bills that aimed to change how North Dakota candidates get on the ballot

Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, speaks on the House floor on Feb. 25, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Two bills that would have reshaped how candidates get on the North Dakota ballot failed in the House late Tuesday. House Bill 1446, sponsored by Rep. Mike Nathe, R-Bismarck, would have eliminated the option of getting on the…

West Fargo considering licenses for short term rental properties like AirBnB

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — West Fargo is considering rules for property owners on how operate short term rentals, like an AirBnB. The ordinance would require short term rental properties be the primary residence of the property owner, meaning they would have to live there for at least 6 months and 1 day each year. Owners would also need a…

House defeats bill to streamline North Dakota Ethics Commission

Rebecca Binstock, executive director of the North Dakota Ethics Commission, speaks during a committee hearing on Jan. 31, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota House overwhelmingly defeated a bill that aimed to give the Ethics Commission more freedom over how it investigates potential ethics violations. The Ethics Commission pushed for House Bill 1360 as a…

Petition approved for measure that would change N.D. window tint law

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR-KFGO) – The Secretary of State’s Office has approved a petition for a measure that would change North Dakota’s vehicle window tinting law. Under current law, windshield tint must allow at least 70% of light through, driver’s and passenger front window tint must allow at least 50% of light through, and windows behind the driver can be any…

Jury selection begins in civil trial brought by Dakota Access Pipeline developer against Greenpeace

Opponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrate in Bismarck in August 2016. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A behemoth defamation lawsuit brought by the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline against Greenpeace began its trial in a Mandan courtroom on Monday. Energy Transfer, a Texas-based oil and gas company, accuses Greenpeace of using underhanded…

North Dakota resolution urging end to same-sex marriage advances

Rep. Bill Tveit, R-Hazen, speaks during a Jan. 27, 2025, committee hearing. On Feb. 24, 2025, Tveit advocated for a resolution urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn same-sex marriage. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota House of Representatives passed a resolution Monday proclaiming the interpretation of marriage as between one man and one…

Sen. Cramer Suffers Concussion and Brain Bleed After Fall At Home in North Dakota Sunday

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — Sen. Kevin Cramer revealing on social media that he suffered a severe concussion, seizure and slight brain bleed on Sunday. Cramer says he slipped on ice at his Bismarck home while walking down a hill to his dock and fell hard. He says he didn’t remember anything from the fall until after arriving at Sanford Health…

Free school meals bill fails in the North Dakota House

FARGO, ND – JAN. 22, 2025: Students eating lunch at Carl Ben Eielson Middle School in Fargo on January 22, 2025. Free school meal advocates in North Dakota are calling on the state legislature to prioritize permanent funding to pay for meals.BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A bill to provide free meals to North Dakota K-12 students failed in…