north dakota legislature

Fargo Senator Tim Mathern proposes bill to make elected officials mandated reporters for child sex crimes

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — With the recent revelations in the Ray Holmberg case, North Dakota legislators are looking making law to make reporting similar incidents mandatory. State Senator Tim Mathern, of Fargo, held a press conference along with other fellow legislators to announce a bill that would require elected officials and those employed in higher education to report incidents of…

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…

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…

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…

North Dakota Senate removes funding for anti-abortion campaign, advances budget bill

Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, talks to Sens. Ron Sorvaag, R-Fargo, and Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota senators on Tuesday narrowly rejected a proposal to add $1 million for a “life education committee” in the Office of Management and Budget budget to teach people about abortion alternatives. The amendment was brought…

North Dakota Senate Removes Funding for Anti-Abortion Campaign, Advances Budget Bill

The North Dakota Capitol building. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (Mary Steurer, NORTH DAKOTA MONITOR) – North Dakota senators on Tuesday narrowly rejected a proposal to add $1 million for a “life education committee” in the Office of Management and Budget budget to teach people about abortion alternatives. The amendment was brought by Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, who…

North Dakota lawmakers advance private school voucher bill

House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, R-Dickinson, speaks on the House floor on Feb. 25, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota educational options are set to expand as House lawmakers advanced a private school voucher bill Monday and the governor signed a bill establishing public charter schools. The House in a 49-43 vote agreed to…

North Dakota Senate adds funding for local wastewater projects to replace federal cut

About $1.9 million in federal funding was approved for the Fessenden wastewater lagoon but rescinded with the cancellation of FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program. (Photo provided by Wells County Emergency Management)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota Senate this week added funding to a budget bill to help communities that lost federal grants for infrastructure projects….

With Three Weeks To Go, ND Legislature Takes Action on Mandate Resolution And Interstate Speeds

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR/KFGO) — North Dakota lawmakers are heading into the final three weeks of the 80-day session which is scheduled to end on May 9. Among the latest action by lawmakers, the senate has voted down a resolution that related to mandated reporting requirements for public officials. It was a proposal prompted by the sex crime conviction of former…