Exterior of the North Dakota State Penitentiary on Feb. 4, 2025. Bills under consideration by state lawmakers aim to address crowding at state prisons and jails. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — When parole and probation officers have to try to collect fees from people on supervised release, “it puts both parties in a difficult situation,” said…
Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee Human Resource Division hold a hearing at the North Dakota State Penitentiary on Feb. 4, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — There was a podium with a microphone and a sign-in sheet, just like any other legislative committee hearing. A key difference Tuesday was the series of seven locked doors…
Lonna Jackson-Street, chair of the Spirit Lake Nation, speaks during a summit between state and tribal leaders on June 25, 2024. She testified last week in support of a bill that seeks to restore a motor vehicle excise tax exemption for tribal citizens. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A bill in the North Dakota House seeks…
Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, speaks on the House floor before a vote to reconsider his bill on public charter schools on Feb. 3, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A bill to establish public charter schools narrowly failed in the North Dakota House, but a similar proposal is being vetted by the Senate. House lawmakers…
Rep. Craig Headland, R-Montpelier, chair of the House Finance and Taxation Committee talks with vice chair, Rep. Jared Hagert, R-Emerado, before a public hearing on property tax reform on Jan. 14, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — House Bill 1335 would broaden North Dakotans’ eligibility for what is called the homestead property tax credit, which reduces or eliminates…
BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — Universal free school meals are the focus of two bills in the North Dakota Legislature, with one set for a hearing on Monday. Both bipartisan bills call for using state funds to pay for the cost of providing free breakfasts and lunches to all students. These bills would offer the free meals regardless of…
BISMARCK, N.D. — The North Dakota Legislature discussed a bill on Thursday that would end approval voting for Fargo city elections. The bill is similar to another bill passed last session that was vetoed by then Governor Doug Burgum. If passed, HB 1297 would ban approval voting and ranked choice voting for elected officials in the state. Currently, Fargo is…
BISMARCK, N.D. — A new senate bill would require North Dakota public schools to include Intelligent Design in their science classes. SB 2355 says that the Superintendent of Public Instruction would be responsible for adding intelligent design to the state’s science content standards for elementary, middle, and high school students by August 1, 2027. They would also have to provide…
Sen. Keith Boehm, R-Mandan, speaks during a public hearing of the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee on Jan. 17, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A bill preventing policies that would limit the use of baiting for big game animals on private property passed the Senate floor Wednesday on a 31-15 vote. Senate Bill 2137 would…
Abby Berger of Bismarck stands Jan. 29, 2025, before a legislative committee hearing with a photo illustrating the large number of syringes and vials needed to help her conceive her child. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — State Rep. Karla Rose Hanson said Wednesday that bills protecting birth control and fertilization treatments are necessary because of efforts…
