NORTH DAKOTA ETHICS COMMISSION

North Dakota Ethics Commission chair dies

North Dakota Ethics Commission Chair Dave Anderson listens during a commission meeting on Oct. 23, 2024, in Bismarck. The commission paid tribute to him May 27, 2025, a day after his death. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Ethics Commission Chair Dave Anderson died Monday at age 69, the commission announced at a Tuesday afternoon meeting. Anderson,…

Ethics commissioners say bill would impose an arbitrary cutoff for investigations

Commissioners Murray Sagsveen, left, and Ronald Goodman, right, members of the North Dakota Ethics Commission, listen to a House committee hearing on March 18, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The Ethics Commission fears changes approved by North Dakota lawmakers earlier this week could allow alleged ethical violations by public officials to go unaddressed. “We’re going…

North Dakota House removes new Ethics Commission position from budget, adds 6-month deadline

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 on Monday voted to give the Ethics Commission a six-month deadline to resolve ethics complaints while also removing a new position approved by the Senate. The amended bill,…

House committee recommends removing new Ethics Commission position, adding deadline

Rebecca Binstock, executive director of the North Dakota Ethics Commission, speaks during a House committee hearing on March 18, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A House committee on Monday recommended several sweeping changes to the North Dakota Ethics Commission’s budget, including cutting a new full-time staff member and adding a new six-month deadline for processing…

Democratic ND senator proposes doubling Ethics Commission budget, citing Holmberg case

Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, speaks on the Senate floor during the organizational session on Dec. 4, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A state senator wants to more than double the staff for the North Dakota Ethics Commission, arguing the state should be doing more to prevent public corruption. The amendment was brought before the House…

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…

Senate narrowly approves adding position to North Dakota Ethics Commission

Rebecca Binstock, left, executive director of the North Dakota Ethics Commission, Logan Carpenter, center, general counsel for the Ethics Commission, and Alisha Maier, right, operations manager for the Ethics Commission, listen during a committee hearing on Jan. 31, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota Ethics Commission may grow its staff by one after…

North Dakota Senate rejects conflict of interest rules while House adopts modified version

North Dakota Senate Minority Leader Sen. Kathy Hogan, D-Fargo, speaks during a debate on the rules for the chamber as part of the organizational session on Dec. 4, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota House adopted new conflict of interest rules Wednesday, but the Senate rejected those same rules in a split vote….

North Dakota Ethics Commission plans educational events

Staff members of the North Dakota Ethics Commission hold a virtual meeting in their conference room at the Capitol on March 27, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota Ethics Commission has two free educational events planned for early December. On Dec. 9, the group is hosting a public learning session on its ethics…

More financial reporting proposed for North Dakota elected officials

North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe, shown here with the State Canvassing Board on Nov. 20, 2024, is working with the Ethics Commission on financial reporting rules for elected officials. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota secretary of state is working with the Ethics Commission to propose changes to financial disclosure rules for…