NORTH DAKOTA SENATE

North Dakota Senate Rejects Bill To Invest in Gold and Silver

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — A bill that would have required one percent of money in North Dakota’s state treasury to be invested in gold and silver bullion has been rejected. The Senate voted 13-34, killing the House bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Daniel Johnston of Kathryn. He says gold has appreciated greatly in recent decades while the U.S. dollar loses…

North Dakota bill would require teaching of intelligent design in schools

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…

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….

Powerful former North Dakota lawmaker pleads guilty to traveling to Europe to pay for sex with minor

Ray HolmbergFARGO, N.D. (KVRR/AP) — A high-profile former North Dakota lawmaker who was one of the most powerful members of the Legislature pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to a charge that he traveled to Europe with the intent to pay for sex with a minor. Ray Holmberg, 80, of Grand Forks, was indicted in October 2023 for travel with…

N.D. Senate Passes Bill To Ban Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Minors

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — North Dakota Senate has passed another anti-transgender bill, one of around a half-dozen this session. It would ban and criminalize gender-affirming care for transgender minors. It imposes felony charges on doctors who perform sex assignment surgeries, and misdemeanors for doctors who prescribe hormone therapies or “puberty blockers” to children. Sen. Ryan Braunberger, a Democrat from Fargo,…

FirstLink advocates for access fee for 988 suicide & crisis lifeline

BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) — A Fargo nonprofit pushes for a North Dakota Senate bill that would charge an access fee to citizens every time someone dials 988 during a behavioral health emergency. It’s similar to North Dakotans paying 50 cents every time you hear a tornado siren except people would only pay 30 cents. FirstLink handled more than 15,000 calls…