Tag: 2023 Legislature

North Dakota lawmakers look to boost immigration as labor shortage hampers economy

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota is short of workers. You don’t need the news to tell you, step into any local business or restaurant and you’re likely to experience it firsthand. But what can lawmakers do about the problem? Well, Tim Mattern, a Fargo-area Democrat has some ideas. He’s sponsored two bills that would put the state squarely

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

Bill would require personal details about those requesting public records

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

When it comes to government, transparency is the foundation on which trust is built. And the law that protects transparency more than any other is the one that says government records are public records and we the public can access them. It doesn’t matter the reason why. The law and its protections are very much

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

ND bill aims to cap K-12 superintendent pay, merge leadership of small districts

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

House Bill 1251, if successful, would consolidate the administration of the state’s smaller school districts and put a cap on superintendent salaries. Controversy is sure to emerge anytime local control is challenged. C.S. Hagen’s writing for Inforum has the full story.

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North Dakota attorney general seeks 29% budget increase; Wrigley seeks upgrades, more staff

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota’s first-term Attorney General, Drew Wrigley isn’t wasting any time in his attempt to overhaul the office. Mr. Wrigely has proposed a budget increase of more than 29% in his first legislative session and a big priority is an improvement to services at the state crime lab. Travis Svihovec has the full story at

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Following Fufeng uproar, bill would bar foreign governments from buying ag land in North Dakota

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

A Bismarck legislator introduced a bill to prevent foreign governments from purchasing and holding agricultural land in North Dakota. It’s the latest in the Fufeng saga. Fufeng announced its intentions to build a corn milling plan in Grand Forks in late 2021, and opposition quickly arrose out of national security concerns related to a Chinese-owned

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

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Bill would increase THC purchase limit for North Dakota medical marijuana patients

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota’s regulation of medical marijuana is among the most strict across states that have legalized marijuana in one form or another. To loosen the law up a bit, Senator Kristen Roers, R-Fargo, sponsored a bill to increase the amount of active THC patients can purchase that will also allow for more consistent doses and

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Lawmakers look to cut outdated language from North Dakota Constitution

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota’s Constitution has been around since statehood (1889), and though it has had some changes along the way, there remains some holdover language from a different time and sensibility. Several lawmakers have sponsored a bill to update terms and titles of mandated state institutions with language more fitting for the 21st Century. Get the

Read & Share   sourced from: Dickinson Press

State Senator Krebsbach On Sideline at Start of Session Recovering From Broken Hip, Wrist

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Minot’s most tenured legislator, Senator Karen Krebsbach, is sitting out the first few days of the 2023 legislative session. Senator Krebsbach is recovering from a December fall on the streets of Minot that left her with a broken hip and wrist. Jack Dura with The Bismarck Tribune has the full story that includes coverage of

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota lawmakers propose tax exemptions for diapers, tampons

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Diapers, children’s car seats, tampons, and sanitary pads are all subject to sales tax in North Dakota. But if two separate bills are successful in the upcoming session, that will change. Get the full story from Jeremy Turley writing at the Dickinson Press about two legislators who want a little less hypocrisy in the state’s

Read & Share   sourced from: Dickinson Press

ND’s Anti-Corporate Farming Law Faces New Fight Over Ownership Rules

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota’s legislative session starts in less than a week, and that means we’ll be hearing about topics that are regular fixtures of North Dakota debate. One example is North Dakota’s ban on corporate-owned farms. Opponents of the law saw it’s causing North Dakota to fall behind. Supporters say it’s protecting us from outcomes less

Read & Share   sourced from: Public News Service

A Completion Date for Flood Protection?

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

The City of Minot’s Assistant City Attorney and Legislative Liasion, Shane Goettle, gave the City Council an update at Monday evening’s regular City Council meeting. Flood protection funding was the area of focus, and the message was as follows: Minot’s flood protection advocacy team has been working since the summer to tell our story, and

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Can North Dakota really fix its labor shortage?

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

North Dakota has 16,000 listed job openings, but Job Service North Dakota estimates closer to 40,000 job vacancies, and no industry is spared. The upcoming legislative session will see lawmakers and Governor Burgum address issues where the state can make an impact; one area already identified is support for childcare. But all agree, the challenge

Read & Share   sourced from: Dickinson Press